Elqueeness - Chapter 52

Chapter 52

hapter 52

Rumble . Isana felt as though he had been struck by a bolt of lightning . He had been worried ever since the Marquis began talking about the owner of the Cliff Conglomerate, but he hadn’t expected a suggestion  like this .  

Even though his reputation was in shambles, the emperor was still the emperor . Was he not the highest of the nobles and of the most admired royal family? In comparison, merchants were treated as the worst, even amongst the commoners . In other words, the Marquis wanted the highest of all men to get recognition from the lowest of all men .  

This was a situation that could only be described as ‘deplorable,’ at best . Unsure of what to do, Isana closed his eyes and gathered his thoughts . His heart pounded, and he felt like he couldn’t breathe .

“Ho~ Does this mean that the test has started? That marquis guy, I kinda like him more than I thought I would?” (Lapis) 

Right now we were gathered in a room and happily watching a video . Image magic, whatever it is . It’s a type of magic that scans, and lets one see a place that you can’t personally see . I felt like I was watching a movie, with vivid sounds and crystal clear images .

That’s right . Right now we were confidently eavesdropping on the Marquis and Isana’s conversation . From the start, I had been curious about what they were talking about over there, and wanted to make some trouble, but then Lapis went ahead and wiretapped them anyway, so if we got caught, I was going to blame it on him .

It was good that we could watch this secret live(stream)1 conversation .

“Anyway, his personality is really weird . What do you mean you like him? Don’t you see how he’s making things difficult for Isana?” (El)

“Isn’t it obvious? If that’s not testing Isana’s abilities, what is it? Right now the Marquis is testing a lot of things with that one statement . If Isana can bow his head to the lowest of men to reach his goal, if he will do it as someone who won’t quibble over the complications of nobility and status, and if he is someone with the generosity to forgive the Marquis who’s basically made an insulting suggestion . ” (Lapis)

“Hmm . I see . Then if things end well, the Marquis can pass on the annoying task of persuading the conglomerate owner to Isana . And if Isana is fortunate enough to get the owner’s approval, they can kill two birds with one stone by also getting the help of the other merchant guilds . ” (Kai)

“Exactly that . Man~ Priest guy . You’re pretty smart, aren’t you?” (Lapis)

Lapis looked at Kai with praise, and then glanced at me as if telling me to accept the information they just said . That cheeky look . I wanted to terminate my contract with him soon .  

“You just thought about canceling our contract, right?” (Lapis)

“Whe- when did I?” (El)

“You just stuttered, so I was right . Sometimes I wonder if you’re really the Water Spirit King . ” (Lapis)

“What- what about it?” (El)

Why did he have to poke at a sore spot . I know I’m like this, but aren’t you my contractor?!

I looked at him reproachfully, but Lapis just snorted and ignored me . Seeing his attitude, like he wasn’t afraid of anything in the world, I yelled out, venting .

“If you’re going to be like that, I’m going to expose all your bad sides to April!” (El)

“Do whatever you want, I don’t care . She’s 80% already fallen for me, so what could you say to her now that could make her waver?” (Lapis)

“Argh! You sick cheesy lizard with a prince disease!!!” (El)

What are the ghosts doing not taking this rotten lizard! Lapis didn’t care about what I said, only looking at me with a pleased expression like I was cute (grinds teeth), and that just made my blood boil .  

As expected, I shouldn’t have interfered when Elwien offered to take care of him . I guess this is the consequence of not listening to an adult’s2 words .

“You! If you keep treating me like this…!!” (El)

“Shh! Wait . I think Isana’s going to say something, he’s opening his mouth . ” (Lapis)

“!!” (El)

I was so angry that I forgot the current situation and got off track . At Lapis’s words I quickly calmed down, and focused with an anxious expression . Whether this amazing timing was really a coincidence, or whether it was something Lapis planned; I’ll never know .  

Reflected in the video, Isana was slowly opening his eyes as if he had made up his mind . His clear, golden eyes gazed at the Marquis .  

Instead of anger or sorrow, his eyes reflected a light of determination . I could tell what he was going to say from those eyes alone .  

Just like I thought, Isana nodded his head with a calm expression on his face .

[t/n: <> was used by the author to indicate that the conservation is being heard through the ‘monitor’ by Elqueeness and co . ]

<If Hyung-nim will recognize me for doing this, I will do it . >

<…Do you really mean that? I thought it would be impossible to calmly accept that you had to bow to a commoner . >

<Hahah . You’ve become pretty mischievous Hyung-nim, even though you knew it might anger me you still pushed this on me . At least I know you’re no-nonsense nature hasn’t changed . So I can tell that Cliff Conglomerates owner must be an amazing person . If we want to secure competent people, we must not hesitate no matter how difficult the task is . That’s why I am calm . >

Isana looked at the Marquis’s surprised face and smiled, continuing to speak .  

<I can tell you’re surprised, but I didn’t take your words as an insult . I know you were just making a suggestion, one that I don’t have to agree to . So what do you think? Is this answer worthy of your question?>

<…You have changed a great deal, Your Majesty . So much so, that you look nothing like you did a few months ago . Please forgive me for trying to test you, Your Excellency . >

With a mixed expression of joy and shame, the Marquis lowered his head . He didn’t think that Isana would pick up on his thoughts . Isana looked at him with an empty smile .  

<I wonder; just because I didn’t feel insulted, an insult is an insult . Though we are cousins, even if your actions were from out of loyalty, you clearly know what position you’re in . So what should we do? How would you like me to go about this, Hyung-nim?>

<Please punish me as you see fit, Your Majesty . I will take whatever punishment you see fit to bestow upon me . >

Regrettably, since the Marquis had his head down, he couldn’t see what kind of look Isana had on his face . The Marquis believed Isana was angry after only hearing his voice lower .  

Seeing this I felt like I learned something, muttering .

“I knew it, this is why they say ‘eye fights are important’ . You can’t let your eyes off someone for a second, you know?” (El)

“Kik . Of course you’d say something like that . Is that seriously all you can think about while watching them?” (Lapis)

“Isn’t it the truth? See~ Isana’s smiling but the Marquis is just getting scared by himself, that’s why he’s asking for punishment . Anyway, people need to look at each other straight in the face to know what the other is thinking . ” (El)

“Don’t you know how two-faced humans can be? You may not know, but I’ve seen plenty who’ve killed others while smiling . So of course a guy who has been stabbed in the back a lot knows that he has no choice but to beg . ” (Lapis)

But despite his words, Lapis couldn’t hide his sympathy towards the Marquis . He thought punishment for the Marquis’s actions was inappropriate given Isana’s personality .

And just like he thought, Isana soon held out his hand with a real smile on his face .  

***

Notes:

1: 대화를 생 라이브(?)로 목격하게 되었으니 : we could watch this secret conversation live(?) – the author put in the (?) right after the word for “live” to make a joke . He’s still joking about how the characters in this fantasy world are basically watching tv, even a livestream . So he’s putting a question mark to give a sort of “What? Livestream? In a fantasy world? Whaaat?” kind of joke within the sentence .  

2: 이게 다 어른의(?) 말씀을 무시한 죄 : consequence of not listening to an adult’s(?) words – by ‘adult’ Elqueeness is referring to Elwien, who is his ‘father . ’ But El is a spirit, not a human, so he technically isn’t a child who didn’t listen to an adult . So the author is making fun of this, again, with a question mark (like in footnote 1) . Sort of like, “What? An adult? But Elqueeness, you’re an adult too? Whaaaaaat?”