The Crown Prince Who Raises Alt Characters

#Chapter 242 Min??ja? Mogers (12) - True Colors "What are you talking about? Don't make such ridiculous assumptions." Wasn't she reluctant about the Goddess's Blessing? Vanya shook her head at Mogers' question, but couldn't hide her wavering gaze and darkened expression. To begin with, she had extremely little experience with this kind of negotiation or psychological warfare, so she was also clumsy at hiding emotions. "You seem to be a central figure here. I don't know if there's a clear hierarchy, but the way other youth treat you is essentially no different from how they would treat a leader." Mogers continued speaking calmly. "However, the youth named Raslro shows obvious opposition to you. While factions splitting within an organization is common and even natural, for the side with fewer numbers to have stronger say, there must be a good reason." A leader followed by an overwhelming majority. A leader followed by only a small minority. Yet the two appear to be on equal footing, or rather, the minority leader seems to hold the initiative? The only explanation is that the minority side has something to offset the difference in numbers. "Raslro and his gang have received the 'blessing,' but you and your companions haven't. Then their confidence makes sense. Physical violence is an easily understood form of authority." However, that alone doesn't resolve all doubts. If Raslro's faction is so confident due to having the blessing, then Vanya's faction receiving the blessing would narrow the gap. No, more precisely, it would reverse the situation entirely. Vanya's faction has more people. Then why hasn't Vanya's faction received the blessing? "Is it because receiving the blessing requires special qualifications? That can't be it. Didn't you originally claim the blessing was 'grace bestowed by the goddess upon the Belastok'? If only some among your people could receive it, that would contradict your claim, and in that case, instead of a power struggle like now, Raslro's group would have simply taken leadership." "Then is it because multiple people can't receive the blessing at once due to material issues or waiting time? This has some possibility, but it's still strange. If only a limited number can gain power first, wouldn't it be natural for the leader to claim that priority?" "Did Raslro's side gain control over the 'grace' and exclude you, giving power only to those who suit their taste? That makes sense too. But in that case, there should have been signs of complaints against Raslro's group among other youth, or currents of flattery. From what I observed, it was neither." "So my conclusion is this: The conditions for receiving the 'blessing' aren't particularly demanding, and Raslro's group isn't monopolizing the blessing. Rather, you personally feel uncomfortable about the blessing and are hesitating." How's that? When Mogers asked as if confirming the answer, Vanya's lips trembled. "You figured that out in such a short time? While being held here, just from talking with the kids for a little over a day?" "Anyone can make deductions. What matters is whether the answer is correct. But seeing your reaction now, it seems I didn't completely miss the mark." Mogers chuckled, saying fortunately he wouldn't lose face, while Vanya looked at him as if he were some kind of monster. Morana, who had been listening to their conversation from the side, understood Vanya's feelings. The conversation between Mogers and Vanya would barely fill half of half a page, let alone a full page. If someone you've barely exchanged words with could accurately analyze and see through your feelings and worries based solely on surrounding circumstances, how great would be the shock and fear felt by the person involved? Vanya was originally strong-willed, but before Mogers she appeared completely overwhelmed. She asked cautiously. "What's your purpose?" "If I had to say, it's meddling. I'm interfering to ensure the ending isn't too bitter, if possible. As you say, I'm ultimately just an outsider, but there are also advice and assistance that only an outsider can provide." She seemed to ponder for a moment, but soon sighed and opened her mouth. Perhaps she too needed an opportunity to share her worries. "You're right. I could receive the blessing right now if I wanted to. But... something seems strange." According to Vanya's explanation, the method for receiving the 'Goddess's Blessing' was as follows. In front of the altar with the goddess's statue, tie up any living animal and bring it there. Then the goddess's power accumulates within that living sacrifice, and eating that raw meat on the day the full moon rises allows one to gain the goddess's power. The problem was the change in attitude shown by those who succeeded in the ritual. "Raslro and the other kids weren't originally like that." Those who received the Goddess's Blessing appear much more violent than before, and seem to enjoy fighting and killing. It wouldn't be that strange if one considers people with much resentment and frustration gaining power, but Vanya felt some inexplicable uneasiness and was postponing performing the ritual. However, there were quite a few youth who paid more attention to the power Raslro demonstrated than his personality change, and Vanya couldn't stop this trend. "The Goddess's Blessing is the only way we can fight against the scum of the castle town. Without that kind of power, we'll remain slaves forever. How can you tell us to stop that?" The number of Belastok within the castle town is around a few hundred. In comparison, the number of other residents exceeds several thousand. No matter how excellent the Belastok are as hunters and warriors, there's nothing they can do about such a disparity in numbers. The blessing somehow feels unsettling. But one who advocates armed resistance cannot refuse the means to obtain that 'force.' That dilemma was exactly Vanya's worry. Mogers asked. "How many have currently performed the ritual?" "Ten as of the last full moon. And about twenty more are scheduled to perform the ritual this full moon." "The numbers suddenly increased significantly." "Because Raslro killed Rusdrik. He proved that it's not just about transforming into wolves, but that he could easily defeat even those considered strong among them. Plus, there are kids who are scared and want to gain power, saying that even though we got lucky this time, the castle town might seriously investigate the incident next time." "Ah, how interesting. Morana. What do you think?" At Mogers' sudden question, Morana answered without being flustered. "I think there's a possibility it was intentional staging." "Yes. I think so too." "What?" Vanya's eyes widened at their conversation. "What does that mean?" "Didn't you just say it yourself? 'We got lucky this time.' Then think about it the other way. What if we hadn't? If the castle town had been determined to search for the culprit and corner you all, what would have happened? Could you have refused the ritual just because it felt unsettling even then?" Vanya had little worldly experience, but her mind itself wasn't bad. She immediately understood what Mogers was trying to say. "Are you saying Raslro deliberately tried to escalate the incident? That's ridiculous. He acted to save the children!" "I don't mean that itself was false. But there's a possibility he saw it as a convenient opportunity and just went ahead with it." To the seemingly confused Vanya, Mogers spoke calmly. "I'm not necessarily denying your revenge itself. But there's a difference between choosing by one's own will and being forced to choose as if pushed by others. For the youth here and those remaining in the castle town, shouldn't they at least be given a choice?" There would be those who feel they must shed blood no matter what, if only because they're bitter about what they've endured. But there would certainly also be those who don't care about revenge and just want to live like human beings. Shouldn't we prevent forcibly dragging everyone in one direction while ignoring such individual wills? Mogers calmly persuaded Vanya. "......" Vanya left without giving any particular answer. But the next day. Word spread among the youth that they wouldn't stop those who dreamed of migration from leaving. *** "What are you saying right now? You want to bail out now?" "B-bail out! It's not like that. I'm just saying let's wait and see how things go!" When Raslro grabbed him by the collar and growled, the Belastok youth said in panic. "W-we can take revenge by force later, can't we? The castle town bastards found it bothersome and covered up this incident anyway! Since there's no immediate urgency, we can watch how things unfold and if that scholar's words turn out to be lies, we can act then!!" "This bastard...!" Raslro ground his teeth, but couldn't act more forcefully than that. Because the other youth around them began casting uncomfortable glances his way. He roughly threw the youth aside, and the youth hurriedly left. "Vanya, that traitorous bitch is ruining everything." After Vanya's declaration that those who wished could leave, the Belastok youth began openly reading the mood more than before. Those who had said they would participate in the ritual canceled one by one, and voices crying for blood and revenge also quieted compared to before. The resentment toward the castle town hadn't disappeared, but being directly confronted with the uncomfortable truth they had tried to ignore - that their actions could harm the families remaining in the castle town - made them hesitant to act. Even among those like Raslro who actively called for revenge, some began arguing that 'wouldn't it be better if all the elderly, weak, and weak-willed ones went elsewhere, so the remaining could rampage freely without obstacles?' That couldn't happen. The entire clan had to transform into beasts and bare their teeth and claws to sweep away the scum of the castle town in one blow. If they kept making exceptions for this and that reason, wouldn't only a handful remain? After killing Rusdrik, he should have prevented Vanya from deploying her camouflage schemes and whatnot. Then they wouldn't have had this awkward breathing room to entertain useless thoughts. And when Mogers and Morana entered, he should have killed them by any means necessary. Then his kinfolk wouldn't be wavering like this. "...We need to return things to how they were." A chilling murderous intent gleamed in the eyes of Raslro and his companions. In the end, both the culprit behind this situation and its solution were clear. "Kill that scholar or whatever he is. Then everyone will come to their senses." Once they reached a conclusion, Raslro's group acted swiftly. During the night when people were asleep. They went to the stone chamber where Mogers and Morana were staying. Ridiculously, there wasn't even proper guard posted in front of the stone chamber. After talking with Mogers about various things for so long, they seemed to have lost even the awareness that they were holding him captive. While it was good that this made things easier, Raslro's anger now surged at the pathetic sight his kinfolk continued to display. Irritated, he yanked the door open. It was a rather careless action for an assassin, but Raslro hadn't come to assassinate in the first place. Why bother with such trivial schemes when he could just confront them directly and kill them? Raslro forcefully trampled on the larger of the two lumps wrapped in blankets and sleeping. Thud. The moment he felt puzzled by the sensation of trampling something much lighter and softer than human flesh. Bang! Click. The door of the stone chamber they had entered closed, and the sound of a lock or something being fastened could be heard. While Raslro's group was flustered by suddenly being separated from each other, screams from their companions remaining outside the door could be heard. -Aaahhhhh!! -Wh-what are you bastards, gah! Raslro shouted. "Break the door!!" The building containing them was made of stone, but the door was just wood. When Raslro and the other youth kicked it or repeatedly struck it with weapons in their hands, the door couldn't hold out long and soon gave way. The problem was that while they were delayed breaking down the door, their other companions outside had already been subdued. Seeing all their companions fallen in human form without even a chance to use wolf transformation, Raslro growled at the culprits. That wasn't a figurative expression. Because beast sounds were actually escaping from Raslro's mouth. -Grrrrrrrrrr...!!! Four giant wolves whose shoulder height alone would reach a person's chest. Seeing them all reveal their murderous intent simultaneously, one of the culprits said. "Please step back, Professor. It's dangerous." Another one answered. "It's fine. Despite how it looks, I have considerable expertise in hunting beasts."