Chapter 29. The Crimes in His Memories

Translator: AdCaelum

Editor: meli

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Hugo had led the group to a very normal-looking eatery. Asher looked over the building’s entirety and felt it was nice and clean. He commented, “It’s a lovely place.”

“Mmm, well, let’s go in.”

Although slightly daunted by Hugo’s curtness, Asher followed Hugo inside. The ring of a bell when the door opened alerted the staff inside of new customers. However, before any staff could guide them to a table, Hugo took Noah by the hand and went straight inside. Were they regulars in this place?

Just as Asher was about to follow after, a smiling beastfolk appeared before him and cheerfully called out, “Why if it isn’t Prince Asher. Congratulations!”

“Th-thank you very much.” Asher was surprised, but he nevertheless expressed his thanks.

The fox beastfolk narrowed his eyes and stared at Asher. The other customers in the eatery also looked in Asher’s direction, their attention piqued by the fox beastfolk’s loud voice.

“I would have never imagined that Prince Asher would visit my humble establishment. This is a great honor.”

“Is this your eatery?”

“Yes, I am the owner, Ford. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw you enter. This is an eatery run by beastfolk, after all.”

Despite the smile on Ford’s face, the way he emphasized those last words caused Asher to feel uncomfortable.

“I don’t—”

“You don’t? Oh, right! You don’t… There are still some people like you out there—people who indiscriminately hate beastfolk in this kingdom that forbids such discrimination. In fact, I had a lot of trouble opening up my eatery.”

“U-um…”

“But now, I have so many customers. Well, a majority are beastfolk, but look how booked we are today, all thanks to you.” Ford prattled on without caring about what Asher wanted to say. In fact, he left no opening for Asher to even speak. Ford waved his arm to point to all the people around and asked Asher. “By the way, Prince Asher, do you remember any of these people?”

“What?” Asher looked around, baffled by the sudden question, and everyone stared back at him. However, among the many beastfolk present, Asher couldn’t recognize a single one.

“Oh? No one? Really?” Ford asked, pressuring Asher.

“What’s going on here?” Ward asked, stepping out from behind Asher. Theodore joined Ward to stand in front of Asher and protect him.

Ford maintained his smile. “Nothing really. Just a simple check.”

“Prince Asher is only here to eat. Prince Hugo chose this place—”

“Yes, that’s correct. Prince Hugo has granted us this meeting with Prince Asher.”

Theodore, who had been quiet this whole time, interjected, “What did you say?”

“We will not do anything to him, I swear it. So, can you please let go of your sword?”

Asher looked over and saw that Theodore indeed had his hand on his sword. Asher was shocked by the speed of this reaction, but everyone else seemed calm.

“I heard the latest rumors about Prince Asher from the castle and witnessed his behavior when he accepted the flowers from the children before. It was truly wonderful. However…” Ford continued to stare at Asher and the smile on his face disappeared, his expression becoming unreadable. “Prince Asher, why have you suddenly changed your behavior towards beastfolk now? You appear not to remember, but all the beastfolk here are those who have been unreasonably punished by you or forced to resign from their ranks.”

“!!!”

“They will never forget the humiliation you brought upon them, yet you can’t even recall their faces?”

“Your Highness,” Theodore said, “let us leave this place. Braun, get Prince Hugo from inside—”

Just then, a large bear beastfolk blocked the door and glared at them.

“As I reassured you before, we mean no harm. We simply wish to talk to Prince Asher.”

“Did… Did Prince Hugo set this up?” Ward asked and Ford nodded. Then, Ward silently pondered for a few seconds before turning to Theodore. “They said they won’t harm him. We can at least let them talk, right?”

“Braun, just get Prince Hugo from inside—”

Just as Theodore glared at Ward, Asher slipped past the two knights and stood in front of Ford.

It finally clicked why Hugo suggested they all eat here… Everything had been planned from the start. Asher was shocked by his own naiveté for thinking that Hugo was finally opening up to him. However, there was a more pressing issue to address. He declared, “I will hear them out.”

“Your Highness,” Theodore protested.

“I’ll be fine… Besides, Hugo wouldn’t openly expose me to danger like this. We’ll just be talking.”

“Thank you very much,” Ford responded.

“So, um, everyone here was treated wrongfully by me…right?” As Asher looked over at everyone, they returned piercing gazes. Fearful eyes. Hostile eyes. Conflicted eyes.

“That is correct. You executed vile atrocities towards beastfolk. Yet, you suddenly behave in the castle like nothing of the sort happened? We would like to know the reason why.”

“I…” Asher hesitated, so Ford began talking again.

“I heard a story once…of a human noble who was very kind to beastfolk. The noble would give warm food, a place to stay, and even job opportunities to beastfolk in need. He earned the deep trust of all the beastfolk. However…the noble was, in fact, a human who participated in trafficking those beastfolk as slaves. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that he had once been known to hate beastfolk— Oh? Does this story perhaps ring a bell? Does it remind you of someone?”

“It doesn’t! I would never do such a thing…”

Asher was confused by this sudden story and had let Ford tell it, but when Ford proposed that question, Asher had to answer. He shouted at Ford, but the surrounding beastfolk snorted.

“I doubt it…”

“Yeah. You treated us beastfolk so terribly…yet you suddenly pulled this change on us?”

“You definitely gotta be plotting something.”

Asher looked at the beastfolk giving their comments. Some flinched at that moment, but others continued to glare at him.

“I bet you don’t even remember what you did to us!”

That comment shut Asher up. He looked at the faces in front of him, but he really couldn’t recognize anyone. He tried to rummage through the previous Asher’s memories, but “Asher” likely had no interest in any of them so “he” never bothered to commit their faces to memory.

“Hey, let’s calm down for now.” Ford attempted to calm a beastfolk down as he turned to face Asher. “I apologize, Prince Asher. We’re not doing this because we wish to persecute you; we merely want answers. The story I told you was based on real life events, and there are indeed beastfolk soldiers on active duty who are suspicious of your sudden change.”

The beastfolk had anxious expressions. They were scared of what caused Asher’s change.

“I… I…”

How should he respond? What could he say to get them to understand? Should he use the same excuse he gave to the queen and Marquess Clarke? Or perhaps… Should he explain it like he had with Theodore?

No, he immediately backtracked. No one would believe him no matter what he said. He knew from the endless harassment he endured during his school days—the beatings, curses, and fear that dominated his previous life. If his abusers suddenly apologized to him and made an excuse that there was a reason for their horrible violence towards him, could he forgive them? No, it wasn’t that simple.

It wasn’t something that could be easily forgiven.

“Whatever I did to you…was wrong. I will never treat beastfolk like that again… I know that you will not believe anything I say…but I truly am sorry.”

Asher deeply lowered his head in an apology. He was fully aware that it would not be accepted, but there was nothing else he could do.

Seeing a member of the royal family lower their head so deeply made Ford as well as everyone else present shocked.

“What the hell is that?”

“Wrong…? Now you admit you’re wrong?”

Although baffled, the beastfolk angrily commented and murmured amongst each other. Ford shot them a chiding glare before calmly calling out to the bowing Asher.

“We’re not asking for an apology from you, Prince Asher.”

“Nevertheless, I wish…to apologize.”

“But—”

All of a sudden, a pair of women’s shoes entered Asher’s view of the floor. He hadn’t noticed that a woman had stepped in front of him, her shoulders trembling.

“Do you really, honestly, think that apologizing could get you out of this? But of course, right? When blue-blooded royalty lowers his noble head to us, we commoners must be overjoyed and gladly forgive you… Is that what you think?”

Asher slowly raised his head to look at the face of the woman before him. Her brown eyes, the same color as her slightly dull hair, glared in disgust at Asher.

He recognized the woman’s voice. It had echoed in his head back when he clearly recalled “his” memories. Ever since that moment at that dinner with the rest of the royal family, he could never forget her cries.

“What have you done?! A mere maid dares to dirty my clothes?! Face your back to me! I’ll whip you!”

“Please forgive me, Your Highness! I beg you! Please forgive me!”

“Shut up!”

Asher’s face turned pale and his hands began to shake. The sensation from that time came back vividly to him—“his” hand as it swiftly brought down the whip and the woman’s cries that followed right after.

That crying maid was now right in front of him.

“Lillian,” Ford addressed the woman. “I told you not to come out.”

“No, no! I will not allow myself to accept such a shameless apology from you! Do you even know what I went through after that?! What’s the point in acknowledging your wrongdoings now?! How dare you!”

“Lillian! Stop!”

The woman, Lillian, attempted to grab Asher, but Theodore stopped her. “I thought you said you wouldn’t harm the prince.”

“I’m sorry about that. Lillian, stop already!” Ford gently wrapped himself around Lillian. Her eyes overflowed with tears, but she still faced Asher.

“So what?! You can execute me for all I care! It’s all your fault! Because of you, my engagement was annulled… I was even disowned! If you hadn’t done that, I would still be living a comfortable life! Yet! Do you really think an apology is enough?! Do you think this is a joke?!” Lillian hollered, but Asher stood there in a daze. “Give me back my life!”

Her cries echoed in his ears once more. He needed to say something. Anything.

“I-I’m… sorry. I’m truly sorry…”

The words he finally squeezed out echoed hollow. He didn’t know what to do. The corners of his eyes felt hot; tears threatened to fall. No! He couldn’t cry. He had no right to cry. He bit down, holding back the tears, and lowered his head again.

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