Chapter 179 – The prince walks a tightrope

I, Hicked Migha, spend my days living nervously.

That cat beast person is making himself look like a villain to blend into human society and help other captured beast people.
He is basically sacrificing himself to save them.

I have a lot of respect for him.
He wants to continue walking this path even as his people start to see him as an enemy.

He… Dasha, says he wants to help the others even if it means dirtying himself.

There are many beast people slaves here in the kingdom of Migha.
It is mostly because they live close to our country, but there are other non-human races that are enslaved.
The dragon person my brother, the fourth prince captured is still a slave.
That is the only dragon person slave that I know of, but there might be more in this country.
I still have not interacted much with this dragon person my brother enslaved, because it is too dangerous.

I am royalty, but as the seventh prince, I am positioned quite low on the ladder of status.
I have more than enough reason to fear that I will be executed if it is discovered that I have been going against my father’s orders.
The best case scenario would be exile, and the worst case scenario would be death.
I would also be confined and tortured, so I have to be careful at every step.

I cannot die yet, not before I accomplish my goals.
I want to follow my own will and do what I can.

It is very possible that my demise awaits me at the end of this road, but the die has been cast.

Still, what should I do? How should I act? Having to think about so much is tiring, but at least I feel truly alive, as opposed to when I mindlessly obeyed my father.

I was nothing more than a doll doing what was tasked to me, without a thought in my mind.
That changed after I met Nina and we started talking.

Although I am walking a tightrope, I will see this to the end.

◇ ◇ ◇

“So we do not know whether or not they reached the miko?”

“Yes.
Mister Sadda said he would send a messenger when he reached the miko, but we have not received any word from them.”

“I see…”

As I hear this report, I worry about whether or not the beast people and my subordinates can really find the miko.

I managed to take action, but there is no way to know its results beforehand.

Even if the miko is alive, we do not know if they will reach her.
I truly hope so, because if they are unable to find her, they will most likely all die.
Thinking about this possibility hurts my heart.

Sadda from Vene said he would be in contact when he reached her, but still… We are not one hundred percent sure that this company is on our side.

I believe we have a mutually beneficial relationship, which is why I sent people from their company with the party that went in search of the miko.
Also, having them along for the journey means having their help in funding it.

If it all goes well, these people can live peacefully with the miko.

The miko’s influence is very strong, for better or worse.
If the miko is alive, she is very far from Migha, but we have no reason to believe her influence won’t still reach Migha or Fairytrof.

If this happens, will I be destroyed the next time she appears in this land? In the end, I was the one responsible for killing that wolf beast person.
In the miko’s eyes, I am probably a detestable person.

But, well… Even if that is what awaits me, and even if I cannot erase my sins, I will continue working on what I have been doing.

“We need to gather the beast people sold as prostitutes as well.
People will probably think I am a lecher, but we should probably start gathering them little by little.
This could impact my fiancee negatively but…”

“But Prince Hicked… Think of your reputation…”

“That will not be an issue.
I am only the seventh prince, so nothing will change if people criticize me.
I also want to do something about the people Dasha has been gathering…”

I wondered how I would gather the beast people sold as prostitutes, but it will feel natural if people see me as a lecher.
People will think the seventh prince has a taste for beast people women and not inquire any further.

My reputation will take a hit, but I still decide this is what I want to do.

“…I see.
Then I will do as you say.”

“Yes, and I apologize for the trouble.
Thank you very much for following me.”

My subordinates would be executed if my actions were discovered, but I still have people on my side.

I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
It is this blessing that allows me to take action.

—The prince walks a tightrope

(The prince walks a tightrope, but moves as he wishes.
He is ready to accept whatever consequences this brings.)