The Encounter Between the Forsaken Healing Magic’s Beloved Child and the Betrayed Black Dragon Princess of Calamity - 3

Chapter 3: Thrown Out of the Imperial Palace

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“Come now. Stop dawdling. Someone like you have no right to stay in the palace.”

“…”

I was gathering my belongings inside the small shed located at the edge of the palace grounds. This was the only place I had been allowed to stay at. But the truth was, I hardly had any belongings with me. I only had a brooch, which was my mother’s keepsake. The brooch had a green jewel in the center. This was the only thing that connected me to the man who used to be my father… The Emperor. Because of this, I had the title of the Sixth Prince. But, that title didn’t have any meaning anymore. 

“Hmm… So this is it, huh?”

“Ah-“

Just when I thought I saw something peeking from over my shoulder, Madam Polke suddenly snatched the brooch from me. 

“Gi-Give it back!”

“Huh? What~ This is just a cheap trinket, something you could easily find at the street market. Heh. I can’t believe you actually carry this cheap thing with you everywhere like it’s something so precious.”

I desperately reached out for the stolen brooch from Madam Polke, but she only pushed me aside and stared intently at the brooch. 

“I thought this brooch was something expensive… Hah~ What a disappointment.”

“A-Ahh….”

She then nonchalantly dropped the brooch to the floor and then, she stepped on it. The brooch shattered into pieces under her feet… No. To be precise, just the green jewel that was shattered. 

“Now you understand it, right? The gem is a fake thing.”

“Uwahhhhhhhh!!! Why?! Why would you do something so cruel?!”

I was frustrated, sad and vexed. For the first time, I snapped at Madam Polke. But…

“GYAA-?!”

“Don’t you dare get cocky with me! You’re just a brat who was abandoned by His Majesty!”

She hit me hard with a stick that was nearby and I tumbled to the ground. Madam Polke looked down at me. Her face was filled with hatred and disgust. 

“I’m the one who’s pissed off! I was forced to be your wet nurse without any reward! Give me my time back!!”

“Uuuugh… Uuuh…”

That’s right… These past ten years… What’s the point of it? What’s the point of me living like hell for ten long years…?

“Now you’re crying?! I’m the one who wants to cry! Enough already―”

“I will return those words right back at you, Madam Polke. Enough already.”

Just when Madam Polke was raising her stick to hit me again, a man suddenly appeared and grabbed Madam Polke’s arm. It was the servant who always got in my work and bullied me. 

“The Chancellor is already waiting at the entrance. Come on, let’s go.”

“Ouch!?”

The servant forcibly grabbed my arm and the pain in my shoulder from being hit by a stick by Madam Polke made my face twist in discomfort. Ignoring my cry of pain, the servant kept dragging me somewhere. I secretly placed my hand on my shoulder and healed it with recovery magic.

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“Prince Gilbert, this is the imperial seal that signifies your position as the lord of the Dark Forest and this is the seal to represent your status as the Sixth Prince.”

The man who had stood by the wall in the room where I met the emperor, Chancellor Hertling, explained it to me with a respectful bow. He gestured and a nearby knight handed me the imperial seal and the seal that represented my status. 

“And this is your starting funding in the Dark Forest… Though I doubt you’ll be able to use it in the Dark Forest.”

“Umm… The Dark Forest… Where exactly is that place?”

Unfortunately, I knew nothing about anything beyond the royal palace. I had no idea where the Dark Forest was or what kind of place it was.

“That’s right. Since you’ll be living there soon, I should explain it to you first.”

Chancellor Hertling said while furrowing his eyebrows a bit. 

Apparently, the Dark Forest was a big forest located to the west of the Hylics Empire, with the Duflussweise Mountain standing at its center. The Duflussweise Mountain  was the tallest and most dangerous mountain in the western nations. The place was cold year-round. It was practically winter all day with towering trees that grow densely, preventing any sunlight from reaching the ground. This caused the whole area to be damp and gloomy. More importantly…

“The Dark Forest is also home to many monsters. It is said that once you step into it, you will never return alive. It is a highly dangerous place and it also said there exists the Dragon Kingdom on the Duflussweise Mountain…”

“The Dragon Kingdom…”

I knew something about the Dragon Kingdom. I had read about it in a book inside that dimly lit library. There was a book about the Dragon Kingdom. They said, there was an evil black dragon king who ravaged the surrounding countries, but then, a young man entered the Dragon Kingdom. He used a sword said to be crafted by the fairies to defeat the evil black dragon king and became the hero. 

But, I see… So The Dragon Kingdom in that story is located in the Dark Forest.

“Well, as far as we know, the Dragon Kingdom is nothing but a legend, so you really don’t need to worry about it. However, the monster… The monster part is real. Though the Dark Forest is considered as part of the Empire’s territory, but that place is overrun by vicious monsters. No one can live there, so that land remains as an uncharted land.”

“….”

The fact that the Emperor had forsaken me in that place meant he didn’t care if I got eaten by monsters. 

“…I will make sure you will arrive safe and sound at the entrance of the Dark Forest. I swear this in my name, Hagen Hertling.”

“Thank you very much…”

What am I even thanking him for? Even if I reach the Dark Forest safely, I’ll just end up being eaten by monsters and die. I don’t have any reason to keep on living anymore. 

“Now, please get in.”

Prompted by Chancellor Hertling, I climbed into the carriage. But it seemed Chancellor Hertling wouldn’t be coming with me. Well, it was only natural. The Dark Forest was a dangerous place after all.

“Listen well. Make sure you escort His Highness to the entrance of the Dark Forest safely. If, by any chance… Something were to happen to His Highness, do remember that your entire family will share the crime.”

“”Yes, Sir!!””

The soldiers on the driver’s seat and those accompanying me responded with tense expressions on their faces. Well, it seemed I wouldn’t be harmed by them along the way. 

No, that’s not it. It means I’m meant to die in the Dark Forest. 

As someone who carried the Emperor’s blood, if I were to die anywhere else… Or if by any chance I somehow remained alive, my existence would only serve as a liability for this country. That being said, they couldn’t just kill me off. They couldn’t assassinate me in secret either. If by any chance the people knew I was assassinated, Chancellor Hertling would be held accountable.

And so, the carriage slowly made its way to the Dark Forest, which would become my gravestone. 

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