Chapter 12

Lyle filled his pockets and headed out of the palace. As he passed the Imperial Alchemy Association building, he heard voices talking in the forest behind it.

‘Hmm?’

The voices were familiar. One was his father, the Emperor, and the other was…

“Parazia.”

Parazia. That was the surname of Javir, the head of the Alchemy Association and Ethea’s father.

“I’ve always trusted you.”

Lyle quickly hid in a suitable spot and began to listen.

When the Emperor started a conversation like that, it meant he had something to ask. Actually, it was more of an order or command than a request.

“You have a daughter, don’t you? If she takes after you, she must be very clever.”

He had a bad feeling.

“Yes, I don’t know about cleverness, but she’s good at helping with my work. But may I ask why you are inquiring about my daughter, Your Majesty?”

“As you know, I married off my few daughters, and even then, they died in foreign lands. I can’t remarry them. But… aren’t all the women in the Empire my daughters? Haha!”

Lyle felt a chill. The Emperor intended to use Parazia’s daughter as a bargaining chip. It was a common occurrence. The Emperor had already married off three daughters and four nieces for political reasons. There was no rule that he wouldn’t do the same with a subject’s daughter.

The alchemist seemed a bit flustered. After a pause, his voice sounded dark.

“Your Majesty, I am honored, but I don’t quite understand what you mean…”

“What do you think of the King of Garental Kingdom?”

Though he asked for an opinion, the Emperor didn’t seem interested in hearing the answer. He began to explain himself.

“He’s a king of a small country, but there’s much to admire about him as a ruler. He married early and had one child, but unfortunately, that child is sick and can’t succeed his father. It’s a real shame.”

“…”

“So he’s urgently thinking about an heir.”

“Your Majesty…”

“You must have heard. The King of Garental has a skin disease. That’s why those with daughters hesitate to marry them off. But frankly, what’s a skin disease? He owns the palladium mines. If you give him an heir, the entire world’s palladium will be yours. You can acquire it without a single war. Haha!”

After the Emperor’s greedy laugh, Javir asked,

“May I ask why it has to be my daughter?”

“Why? You’re the one who most desperately needs palladium, aren’t you? Ah, of course, it would be difficult for an individual to manage it. The scale is tremendous. So our Hillus Empire will take care of it.”

The Emperor was wicked. He openly revealed his black-hearted intention to sell Parazia’s daughter for ownership of the palladium mines. The alchemist was left speechless at the demand to give up his daughter.

Lyle, listening, wanted to barge in and shout that such nonsense was unacceptable.

Commoners might not know, but the Imperial Family knew the King of Garental Kingdom very well. The reason the King, who was over sixty, had only one child was that women who became queens died before giving birth. The King’s skin disease was the problem. Even healthy women, after repeatedly sharing a bed with the King, would develop festering, decaying skin and eventually die in a horrific state.

Lyle clenched his fists, trying to control his emotions and restrain himself. If he listened any longer, he might rush in and grab the Emperor by the collar.

But the answer he heard next only fueled Lyle’s anger.

“If you desire it, Your Majesty, how could I possibly voice an opinion?”

“So you’ll give your daughter?”

“It’s better for palladium to be managed by the Empire than by the uncivilized Garental Kingdom. Besides, that material is needed not just by me, but by all alchemists in the Empire. For the Empire’s development, I must gladly follow your wishes, Your Majesty.”

“As expected, a true alchemist. That’s you.”

Lyle couldn’t believe Parazia’s answer.

‘He’s insane.’

Is that really her father? No matter how obsessed with alchemy, how could he sell his own child?

Even if the Emperor was forcing him, Javir’s voice sounded genuinely pleased with the proposal.

Lyle’s disappointment in the respected alchemist was immense. He believed Ethea’s family would be different. He thought they would respect her wishes and support her happiness with whoever she chose. He’d seen enough of parents blinded by greed, selling their children in this court, but he couldn’t accept that even the Parazia family would do so.

Did Ethea know? If she found out… 

Ah, he didn’t even want to imagine what would happen next.

‘This can’t happen.’

Lyle couldn’t forgive Ethea’s father. As her friend, no, as someone who liked her, he absolutely couldn’t.

Things would not go as the adults wished. He had to think of a way. A way.

***

Lyle went to find Seisil. In this urgent situation, he had no one else he could confide in.

The thirteenth prince and the Mage Tower Master’s son. The two had much in common. They were the same age, had similar interests, and shared the same pain—the sorrow of living while hiding their true selves because of others.

Just as Lyle acted as the lazy and foolish prince, Seisil also hid his true self, pretending to be a diligent student of magic.  

This was because of Seisil’s father. The Mage Tower Master, unlike those who had endured long asceticism and risen to high ranks as mages, had a gentle disposition, but there was one area where he was particularly dogmatic: his son’s interests and future. If his son ever showed even the slightest interest in anything other than magic, he would erupt in anger. His only dream was for his son to inherit and manage the Empire’s Mage Tower, which he had cultivated so well.  

Seisil’s father considered the alchemy that Seisil truly wanted to pursue as trivial. He believed that the Empire only needed the Mage Tower, and thought the existence of the Alchemy Association was a waste of taxes. If Seisil were to declare he wanted to follow the path of alchemy, his father might even kill him.  

One can change the discipline they study, but not their father. In the end, Seisil agreed to follow his father’s wishes and become a mage rather than an alchemist, but the regret and sorrow never left him.  

He shared his despair over his unattainable dream with Lyle, and Lyle quietly listened and sometimes comforted him. Occasionally, they would discuss Lyle’s worries as well. From childhood, the two boys had become inseparable.  

“The Emperor and the alchemist Javir’s ugly deal.” 

Seisil, after hearing the whole story, came up with a clever plan.  

“There is a way to stop that marriage without causing a scene with the adults.”  

“What is it?”  

“If Miss Ethea already has a vessel for her soul, the marriage will be called off, won’t it?”  

Lyle’s eyes widened as he listened.  

A vessel for the soul—did that mean a child? If she had a child, could she avoid marriage?  

“How could Ethea…?”  

Seisil clasped his hands nervously, as if he knew this was a bold and reckless plan.  

“As you know, it’s not easy to break the Emperor’s stubbornness. Once he decides on something, he will see it through no matter what. But if the bride already has a child? The Garental Kingdom would ask to reconsider the bride.”  

Lyle couldn’t understand, nor did he like it.  

“How can you say something like ‘make a child’? She and I haven’t even kissed. No, we’re not even lovers. We’re just friends.”  

“Huh?”  

“Besides, would Ethea agree? And it’s not like a child appears instantly, and you’d have to wait months for one to be born…!”  

Seisil raised his hands and gently patted Lyle’s arms, as if to calm the agitated prince.  

“Whoa, whoa, Your Highness. I think… you’re imagining something different from me.”  

“Huh?”  

“So, Your Highness, you thought you’d have to perform animalistic reproduction with Miss Parazia to make a child?”  

A faint blush appeared on Lyle’s previously dark face, and he stammered more than usual.  

“Well… um. To make a child, don’t you have to do… that?”  

Friends do resemble each other—Seisil, who could be just as sly as Lyle, began to tease him.  

“I know you enjoy dirty books, but you’re quite precocious and lewd, Your Highness.”  

Lyle snapped.  

“Don’t be ridiculous. Those books are just for show. The covers are like that, but most of them are alchemy books!”  

“I know they’re not all alchemy books. How do I know? Because the person who orders them is my friend.”  

“Friend?”  

“He’s in the department that handles items brought into the Imperial Palace. To be honest, some of those books are exactly what they look like. Your Highness, be honest. You’re enjoying them, right? If you tell me your preferences, I’ll keep it in mind for future orders…”  

Lyle, his face bright red, cut Seisil off.  

“Stop teasing me.”  

“I’m being serious.”  

“Enough, let’s get to the point.”  

Seisil spread his arms and put on a gentlemanly expression and gesture. Lyle, now more serious, asked again in a deeper voice.  

“So, you’re saying if there’s a child, the marriage won’t happen. But how do you propose to make that child?”  

“We’re going to make a Homunclepet.”