210. Beggar Siblings – Bloodline

Grandfather, you say?

In the small reception room of the annex, Leo’s thoughts began to dive into the past as he alternated his gaze between Ksenia and Cardinal Berg.

It seemed impossible to unravel the tangled threads starting from the relationship between the Cardinal and Count Gustave Peter, but they were not actually tangled at all.

Ksenia was the key to the solution.

And Leo soon realized that this clue had slipped from the lips of Marquis Benard Tatian a long time ago.

– “Oh, right. There’s no one closer than blood relatives. Back in the day, my dear friend shattered a plate, and…”

It was during the arc where the Beggar Siblings tried to become the adopted children of the marquis. While exchanging strong liquor, the drunken marquis casually mentioned how his only dear friend had hastily married and had a daughter, who turned out to be quite a brat, in a somewhat trivial statement.

At that time, he hadn’t paid much attention to his words.

He was so busy thinking that with the marquis’s power, he could make his sister a princess, that he forgot all about it later.

Ah… you fool.

As his thoughts started racing, Leo became distressed. He couldn’t forgive himself for missing the clue that perhaps the solution to the Beggar Siblings scenario had been presented from the beginning.

Of course, having forgotten the past, he had no way of knowing that Ksenia would be waiting around nearby that morning when he failed to bring water.

Not even aware of her existence, he could only go searching for Kasia every time and entered the Rauno Family through Oberg, who was related to her. It was only then that he encountered the Marquis Tatian, who intended to assassinate his son, and picked up a meager clue.

Moreover, after the shackles on Kasia were lifted and the establishment transformed into a theater, he only then met Ksenia, so it wasn’t so much that Leo had erred…

However, Leo’s expression darkened. He knew very well that the first time he laid eyes on Ksenia wasn’t then.

It was during that very arc when he heard the clue from Marquis Tatian. He had gone to the Arille Theater with a flower shop girl named Soirin. There, he saw an actor wrapped in a black shawl struggling around, and his heart raced.

That was Ksenia.

He learned later that Ksenia had worked at the Arille Theater while dating her, but he had clearly felt it at that time.

It was a feeling similar to when Reb saw Leah. I shouldn’t have missed that fluttering in my heart when Leo Dexter saw Lena Ainar.

I’ve really messed up a lot. Just as Leo’s self-reproach deepened,

“Leo?”

Ksenia nudged him. When he came to his senses, she had already moved close to him.

“I’m sorry. I never meant to deceive you… Are you angry?”

“Oh, no. Not at all.”

Leo shook off his self-blame. He would save his sorrow for later and straightened up to face Cardinal Berg.

“I’m not sure how to address you, but… Your Eminence, it’s a pleasure to meet you. This can’t be our first meeting, can it?”

“…Yes, that’s correct. You’ve grown. Congratulations on returning safely. Let’s drop formalities.”

The Cardinal let out a deep sigh.

From the moment he brought the princess he thought was dead, having met his granddaughter after such a long time, he felt a sense of foreboding, especially as Ksenia proudly introduced the prince as her fiancée. Everything he had planned crumbled in that instant.

The class system.

Berg intended to overhaul this deeply-rooted, flawed social system across the continent. Believing it to be his mission, he had secretly done his best, but oh God, what should I do? The sin of being in a relationship with my sister has come back to haunt me. — I couldn’t help but sigh. I lacked the courage to sever the bonds of blood.

“Ksenia. I’m sorry, but could you step aside for a moment? I’d like to speak with the prince.”

“…Grandfather. I’ve already made it clear that this person will become my husband. If you intend to refuse our marriage, then please, stop.”

“No, I wouldn’t dream of hindering your path to marriage. I just have something I’d like to say privately.”

But Ksenia didn’t seem inclined to step aside. Instead, she clung closer, and Leo gently soothed her.

“Ksenia. Please step aside for a moment. I also want to talk to Your Eminence.”

“…Fine, I understand.”

Once Leo joined in, Ksenia left with a slightly pouty expression. Finally, Leo met Cardinal Berg alone for the second time, but the atmosphere was vastly different from before.

Discarding the cunning noble’s dialogue, Cardinal Berg spoke plainly as a priest.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes, please go ahead.”

“What kind of king do you wish to become?”

“…I want to be a king of a nation where the people do not starve.”

“Is that because Your Highness has lived impoverished?”

“Yes, it is.”

“…I was a bastard. My true name was Barik Monarch, and my mother of low birth couldn’t even use a single dose of medicine before she passed away. Despite being a wealthy noble’s concubine. Do you think the reason the people starve is simply because there’s not enough food?”

“….”

“No. There is plenty of food. There is also land to cultivate, and the people are full of determination to make that land thrive. So, what makes their lives so destitute?”

“You want to say it’s the nobles’ fault, don’t you?”

“No.”

Cardinal Berg took a deep breath. Leaning forward, he dared to speak words inappropriate for a prince.

“It’s the king’s fault.”

Leo fell silent, as the Cardinal continued with the claims that had stirred the Monastery Church through the [Theory of Universal Priesthood].

“Humans are ‘equal.’ Before the holy god, we are all merely creations of the same kind. Of course, there is much debate about this equality in the church. The royal family and noble houses that bear responsibility should not be placed on the same level as mere commoners. I somewhat agree with that. I do not deny that the current king and nobles are descendants of leaders who made great contributions in the past, and to claim otherwise would be ‘fair’ only if they were treated differently based on merit and effort. However, is this world fair now? Is a world where those of lowborn origins have no opportunity for education, and where all land is passed down through generations within noble families, truly a world of equality? It absolutely is not. Ever since the first king of humanity, Todler Akiunen, made Banun the first noble, the scales of parity have been tilted.”

“And what do you seek?”

The Cardinal’s eyes sparkled. With divine authority glowing bright, he issued a firm demand.

“I want the abolition of the class system.”

“That’s impossible.”

However, Leo too refused to waver in his tone. Having glanced briefly into the world where Minseo lived, Prince Leo had long since established what he needed to do as a king.

He explained his reason to the Cardinal, who glared at him with cold eyes.

“It’s not that it can’t be done just because you desire it, and I accept it. Realistically, is it possible to strip the interests of the nobility and distribute them to the people? Regardless, it’s not desirable.”

“Why not?”

“Because the people themselves are not ready to rise above.”

Cardinal Berg was the foremost theologian of the age. Wise, he swiftly and shockingly grasped the concept the prince had just spat out.

“Then, Your Highness…”

“Yes. I will impose an obligation of education upon the people. Not a right, but a duty. Once they fulfill that duty and gain sufficient competence, the class system will naturally fall away.”

Leo shot a look at Cardinal Berg. It was to make clear that the world he would not see in his lifetime was a distant reality.

“Currently, the priests teach the people history and theology, yes? I hope the church will take on this duty. It will likely require a significant number of priests and monks… Cardinal Berg, will you assist me? Surely you must have some clever plan.”

I know you run the ‘Grania Orphanage’. You took in homeless children and trained them as priests and holy knights, so Cardinal Berg was the most suitable person for this task.

Cardinal Berg remained silent.

As he attempted to persuade the prince, he instead realized he was being persuaded himself, but there was a depth to the prince’s logic.

‘Responsibility of a creature’

Berg was a priest who defended ‘the responsibility of a creature’ more than ‘the bonds of a creature.’

He recognized humans as beings who burn their will and move forward, believing that the life of a creature is a responsibility conferred by the divine, not a right.

Thus, the concept the prince spoke of—that the people must enlighten themselves to rise—felt plausible. It warranted further academic study, but at least there was a connection in directionality he supported.

Regrettably never to see that day with my own eyes… Cardinal Berg nodded.

“I understand what you’re saying. But what about the half-breeds? They are neither commoners nor nobles.”

“Aren’t the half-breeds the people?”

“…Wait a moment. Do you plan to impose obligations on nobles as well?”

“Yes. The nobles invite tutors to teach their children, so while they will be exempt from the obligation of education, half-breeds will be sent to the church. Does that answer your question?”

Wow—how impressive. Cardinal Berg let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps God sent me this prince through Ksenia, he thought…

The prince extended his right palm.

It looked as if he were asking for candy, and the Cardinal gave the now-maturing prince a curious glance. Of course, he wasn’t actually asking for candy.

“Do you happen to see this?”

“…Are you holding something?”

“No. On my palm… Ah, you don’t see it. Then, don’t you feel something strange?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

Hmm…

The prince appeared to be deep in thought, fidgeting with his palm, hesitating and finally expressing himself.

“Have you heard of the Evil God?”

“Of course.”

“Do you believe in its existence?”

“Well… I’m not sure if it’s a god, but I’ve received reports that some strange being exists. Unconverted natives sometimes demonstrate powers that are hard to fathom…”

“Yes. It doesn’t matter what it’s called; what’s certain is that some transcendental being exists. The reason I’m bringing this up is… um, I suppose you won’t believe me if I talk about it like this. Shall we go for a walk? It’s just about evening.”

“…Alright.”

The Cardinal sported a puzzled expression but followed Leo without hesitation.

He wasn’t well-versed in ‘ancient theology.’ It wasn’t within his field of expertise, and given that the entirety of the Conrad Kingdom is more like one vast plain, there were almost no natives who hadn’t converted, so Berg had no reason to send holy knights to exterminate barbarians.

So unlike the Cardinal of Orun Kingdom, who dealt with many threats, he had a somewhat naive side about the Evil God.

Of course, being naive doesn’t necessarily mean weak or feeble.

As the evening glow settled and darkness began to creep in, Cardinal Berg shuddered slightly while strolling with the prince in the park. A white divine energy was radiating from him as he shouted.

“HALT!”

There were sinister seeds nearby. Once a holy knight, he unsheathed his sword, slicing through the foggy atmosphere that had clung to the air so thickly it all suddenly settled. Leo noticed the minions of Oriax had fled.

“Your Eminence, you might find it hard to believe, but…”

“No. There’s definitely something here.”

“…Please listen all the way through. The one who cursed me is Prince Eric. He is an apostle of the Evil God Oriax. The reason my father collapsed is likely not unrelated.”

Leo revealed a truth nearing reality. He felt a bit shy about sounding like a snitch. ─ But this was a problem only my father-in-law, or rather, my father-in-law’s father, could solve.