C 104
When I said that, the bastard's eyes widened like saucers. He looked at me with trembling eyes, as if he couldn't believe the situation.
"Am I your father? The real father who gave birth to you!"
"Even if you were my father, it would be my mother who gave birth to me, not you."
The bastard blinked at my rather cold response.
"I planted your seed!"
"The high priest said no."
As I spoke while looking at Lucilion, the bastard pursed his lips and then alternately looked at me, my dad, and Lucilion with a pale expression.
"It's a lie! It's a lie! It can't be! I mean, I took you to the Duke's house!"
"......"
The bastard's face turned red, and he yelled. Remembering the vague memories that came to mind, this seemed to be the right expression.
"The woman said you were my daughter and handed you over! You are my daughter!"
"What have you been doing since you abandoned this daughter?"
I know there are many stepmothers and stepfathers in the world who care more for their stepchildren even if they aren't their own.
Because I used to look for such news often in the past.
But he wasn't that kind of person. It must have happened after he heard rumors that I'm a dragon.
"That's why he can claim I'm his daughter and give such an order."
To kill everyone in this hall...
"My real father wouldn't have given me that order."
There's no way he would tell his daughter to kill everyone present for her own good.
"A woman...?"
"Yes, yes! One of the girls I slept with told me to raise her because she's mine!"
"...This idiot even got scammed."
Charniel Etham, who had appeared before he realized it and was completely blank, said with a mischievous laugh.
I hadn't intended to conduct a blood test publicly like this, but his expression wasn't very good, as if the matter had become complicated.
"Is it you who dares to cheat in front of Jim?"
The emperor, who had been silently observing the situation, slowly opened his mouth.
"N-no! Obviously, it's me, that priest's opinion is wrong! What kind of power can that young priest have!"
Hey, what you just said is wrong.
Lucilion even carries the nickname of the strongest high priest of all time. Don't you know how amazing the advantages of the top male harem candidates are?
"Your words mean you doubt Jim's judgment in allowing such a High Priest to assume such a position, don't they?"
"That's not it... it just sounds like a swindler..."
"As far as I can see, there's only one swindler in this place."
The emperor tilted his head.
"Take him to prison. I don't want to see bloodshed at a banquet where the main character should be blessed, so let's discuss the punishment later."
"N-no! No! No! Not me!! I just...! I just found out that she's my daughter!"
The nobles gathered in the banquet hall showed disdain for the commotion caused by the bastard.
"Please! I still brought you, who were dying, to the Duke's house! Even if I'm not your dad... didn't I raise you?"
What is he saying now?
The maid raised me 80%, and the other 20% came from the Duke's money.
"Please, help me!"
"No. I won't help. I have no desire to help. Disappear quickly."
He cried with a pitiful expression on his face, but I replied firmly.
"Let go of me, let go of me! Do you know who I am? I'm the father of that dragon! If only I had recorded it in time...! Thieves! It's mine! Mine!"
The voice that shouted to the end and was dragged out of the banquet hall calmed me.
I felt sarcastically hurt by his attitude of treating me like an object.
"Tsk, that famous idiot from the Etham family ended up having an accident."
"Oh my god... They said he was missing, but was he supposed to be alive?"
"What do you mean imprint? Is there even a way to possess a dragon...?"
"I don't think Duke Etham..."
They must have thought they were whispering very quietly, but I could hear them very clearly because I have good hearing.
"Stop it, I can hear unpleasant sounds in my ears."
Then the emperor added a comment.
The emperor seemed to have heard the voices because he was quite close to the nobles compared to other people.
"Then, we will proceed with this slowly."
Lucilion continued as if changing the mood.
My father's blood, still floating in the air, and my blood mixed with Lucilion's divine power gradually drew closer and soon merged.
The two bloods mixed and soon began to radiate a soft golden light.
"...Gold?"
It's strange.
According to Lucilion's words, only when blood mixed with divine power did it turn golden.
In other words, it's a phenomenon that can only be seen between biological parents and biological children.
However, I can't be a true blood relative of my father.
"Dad..."
Except for Silian and Callan, doesn't he have any other children...?
But how did such a reaction occur?
It was just when I couldn't overcome my doubts and was about to turn my head to look at my dad.
*Kwijik-!*
The sound of sparks bursting was heard.
Looking again at the golden blood shimmering in the air, it was already being swallowed by pure white light.
When I glanced down, I could see a look of bewilderment on Lucilion's face.
It wasn't hard to see that this was not the situation he had anticipated.
"Something's wrong."
When I turned my head and looked at my father, he also seemed a bit stiff, which was unusual.
"It seems that the results are already available. So, with this, we will conclude the examination."
Lucilion resolved the situation.
"...It seems impossible to continue with today's banquet."
The atmosphere in the banquet hall was already chaotic.
In this atmosphere, if the banquet continues, gossip and rumors will increase.
"It's a bit early, but let's finish the banquet for today here. Don't fret; there are still three days left for the banquet."
The emperor stepped forward and dispersed the crowd.
"The high priest and the Duke of Etham, follow me."
The second-day banquet ended in disaster as the emperor left the banquet hall.
* * *
Charniel Etham, who had said he would inevitably follow me, my father, and Lucilion, headed to the hall under the direction of the chamberlain at the emperor's call.
"Your Majesty is waiting inside."
The chamberlain bowed and opened the door. When the door opened, a relaxing lavender fragrance wafted in.
"Come, have a seat."
We sat on both sides of the emperor, who was seated at the highest position.
The chamberlain filled the tea cup himself and then quietly left the hall.
*Click.*
It was only after a moment of silence, with only the sound of the emperor slowly tilting his tea cup, that the emperor spoke.
"Yes, everyone here knows that the previous blood test was not normal."
"..."
No one responded to the emperor's words.
"As expected, Lucilion eliminated it with divine power."
The blood, which had been glowing with a golden light, clearly sparked.
If they had left it as it was, the result probably wouldn't have been different from the test of the bastard who claimed to be my biological father.
"In the beginning, it must have been a proper inspection. Did you try something, High Priest?"
The emperor's gaze sank heavily and reached Lucilion.
"I swear by God that was not the case."
Lucilion smiled and responded.
Why do I feel like Lucilion's confidence is dropping when he swears by God?
I rolled my eyes at the silly thought.
"In reality, even if I pray to God, my mistress... No, I can barely find information about the princess."
"You can't?"
"Yes, in summary... If I pray to know when someone will die, God will answer me."
Lucilion began to explain calmly.
"Usually, God gives the answer. However, knowing that, there's not much I can do."
From the added words, I could guess Lucilion's strange ability that I had only speculated about until now.
"Hearing the voice of God is only allowed for me, and I will have to pay the price if I speak about the future or information I learned through it."
If he only heard it, it wouldn't be the strongest ability.
The ability to know anything if you pray.
"However, no matter how much I pray for the princess, no matter how much I offer, God won't give me an answer."
Lucilion said.
"Yes, as if... As if not even God can intervene in that person."
The voice he added was a mixture of strangeness and amazement, which even made me feel a bit ominous.
"So, is Eirin Etham the daughter of the Duke of Etham? Or are you saying she's not?"
Lucilion's lips slowly opened in response to the emperor's question, as if he were frustrated.
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