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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: A Vow of Misguided Revenge
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In truth, the only people who had proper information about beastmen were professors or perhaps an Archmage.
As exchanges with the Eastern Continent were still in their early stages, it was only natural that Claude, a young nobleman, knew little about what beastmen were.
He was unaware that a young beastman, even in their animal form, could possess intelligence equal to or even greater than a human's.
Furthermore, all personal information about the White Tiger Princess, the imperial royal from Penterin who had come to the Rilberg Imperial Palace, was kept strictly confidential.
Her age, appearance, abilities—everything.
As a result, the rumors only grew more rampant.
At Verk Academy, which Claude attended, the White Tiger Princess was a particularly hot topic. For children his age, whose curiosity was boundless, this was inevitable.
The White Tiger Princess who, from her very first day in the Rilberg Imperial Palace, brought that cold man of Verk, the magnificent Regent Luke Jetar, to his knees!
They say she has His Majesty the Emperor wrapped around her little finger, pulling his strings and manipulating him!
A wicked tiger who commands one of the Ten Stars, Noah Silkyria, and even Urna Rudella with her forepaws, treating them like minions!
Listening to the students chatter, Claude scowled, seething inwardly.
This was a problem.
This so-called White Tiger had no right to be the Divine Beast Anash, the one prophesied to save the world.
It had to be the Dark Divine Beast, bent on destroying this world, deceiving us by disguising itself as a white tiger to torment us!
It seemed to be using some vile sorcery to seduce the high-ranking officials of the Rilberg Empire, turning them into its servants and ultimately leading them to ruin.
‘How dreadful. I have to tell my uncle.’
Claude walked down the grand central corridor of Verk Academy, seriously contemplating how to share this hypothesis.
Just then, some tall classmates called out to him.
“Hey! Claude, you got first place again on the exams, didn't you?”
“Congratulations!”
“I did.”
“Look at him, acting all unimpressed again.”
“Damn it! Geniuses.”
Today was the day the academy's quarterly exam results were announced.
A list was posted on the large bulletin board in the central corridor.
‘1st Place: Claude Continell’
Spotting his name at the very top, Claude let out a smirk.
“Well, of course.”
“Wow, what an arrogant prick.”
“Ugh, he never changes.”
“Anyway, I’m leaving. I’m busy!”
After responding nonchalantly to the students' mix of congratulations and jeers, Claude quickened his pace with an air of superiority.
He always maintained excellent grades, never once losing the top spot.
He considered this a perfectly natural outcome. After all, he was the nephew of Regent Luke Jetar.
He had to become a distinguished talent of the Rilberg Empire, one who would not bring shame to his uncle.
‘How dare that insignificant creature do this to my uncle!’
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and flames of fury blazed in his eyes.
It was utterly unforgivable.
Regent Luke Jetar was an incredibly capable and powerful man who assisted the young emperor and helped stabilize the empire!
And some feline beast that was probably just meowing around in the Eastern Continent dares to insult and humiliate my uncle?!
“Damn it!”
His anger didn't subside even in the carriage on the way home. The injustice of it all was too much, and Claude huffed, wiping the tears welling in his eyes with the back of his hand.
“My poor uncle.”
His uncle was naturally a distinguished man, but maintaining his dignified image was one of his greatest pleasures in life.
And yet, he was forced to kneel before so many people.
His pride must have been shattered.
Working in the Regent's office in the Imperial Palace, he must have to see the White Tiger Princess often. How agonizing that must be for him.
There was even proof.
His uncle used to visit him and his mother at the Continell estate at least once every three days.
But ever since that ‘White Tiger Princess’ arrived, he’s been cooped up in the Imperial Palace and hasn't come to our house at all.
‘What else could this mean? His pride has been so thoroughly crushed that he feels he can't even face his sister or me, his nephew.’
Claude clenched and unclenched his fists.
“It’s all because of that damn tiger cub!”
He couldn't even see the uncle he missed so much.
Claude made a decision.
He would personally pluck out every last one of that wicked tiger’s whiskers and tie its long tail in a knot.
***
Then, one day.
Claude happened to run into Regent Jetar.
His much older brother was an administrator in the Imperial Palace, and due to a heavy workload, he had been living and working there for a week.
Worried, his mother took Claude to the Imperial Palace. Usually, she would send clothes and other items with a servant, but today she insisted on seeing her eldest son’s face.
And by a stroke of luck, they ran into his uncle, who was passing by on the way to the administrative department.
As always, his dignified, elegant, and intelligent appearance was striking.
His mother, Countess Continell, greeted Regent Jetar warmly.
“Oh my, Brother.”
“Ah, Melissa. And Claude is with you.”
Jetar was looking over some documents and conferring with his aide.
In the midst of it, he noticed his sister and nephew who had come to see him and offered a small smile.
“Have you been well, Claude?”
“Yes!”
Claude, who had been worriedly studying his uncle’s condition, brightened up when he was addressed personally.
The boy scurried over to Regent Jetar and blurted out.
“Lord Regent!”
“Yes.”
“I will have my revenge for you! So please, do not worry and rest easy!”
Looking down into Claude’s eyes, which were identical to his own, Jetar muttered unconsciously.
“...What the hell are you talking about?”
“Your worries, your shattered pride! I, your nephew, will resolve it all!”
Claude’s eyes sparkled as he continued to shout incomprehensible things.
Jetar’s handsome brow furrowed.
“What are you saying?”
He was happy to see his youngest nephew at the palace after so long, but it was baffling to hear him passionately spouting such nonsense.
Besides, he was on his way to do something very important.
He and his aide were on their way to meet Princess Jusie.
In short, Duke Jetar was on edge.
‘There my brother goes again.’
Claude’s mother and Regent Jetar’s younger sister, Countess Continell, could tell her brother’s state of mind just by looking at his eyes.
Countess Continell swallowed dryly and forced a light laugh.
“Oh my, Brother. You should have told us you were busy. I’m so sorry to have held you up.”
“Yes, well.”
Jetar nodded, about to continue on his way, but Claude cluelessly tried to hold his uncle back.
“Agh! Uncle, wait just a moment!”
“You little rascal! Let’s go!”
Countess Continell instantly sealed her youngest son’s chattering mouth shut with magic.
Unable to best his mother in magical skill, Claude could only make muffled sounds.
She went a step further, binding her youngest son tightly with magic and levitating him in mid-air, before politely bidding her brother farewell.
“Well then, we’ll see you next time. Take care, Brother~”
“Yes, you too.”
Jetar gave a short, amused farewell to his departing nephew and sister, then hurried on his way.
After finishing her business at the palace, Countess Continell returned to the estate with Claude and began a fearsome lecture.
“Claude. Continell! What do you mean, revenge? What kind of trouble are you planning to cause now?”
“What are you talking about, Mother? I merely resolved to ‘get revenge for him.’ I haven’t taken any action yet.”
Countess Continell glared at her son, who replied with an innocent expression and a giggle, then pressed a hand to her throbbing forehead.
That blasted youngest son.
‘But he’s definitely going to cause trouble.’
Melissa Continell found her youngest son to be the biggest headache.
Honestly, among her four children, Claude, who looked exactly like her brother, was the most handsome, intelligent, and clever.
But there was a problem.
He had a tendency to cause far too many absurd incidents!
‘Why did he have to resemble my brother’s childhood in that way, too!’
Melissa Continell was in agony.
Having spent her childhood with Duke Jetar, Melissa had witnessed firsthand that the trouble he caused was on an entirely different scale.
‘I have a feeling about this one, too!’
A premonition that her youngest was about to cause a very big incident.
