“But weren’t the Mimic Beasts completely wiped out after the Hunt-the-Beast Operation over 200 years ago?” Anke asked Sola.
“Exactly. My mother told me that Mimic Beasts have been extinct for a long time. She said the rumors circulating among the commoners are all lies and told me not to believe them,” Hannah added.
“Lord Anke, and Ms. Pauli, you are both correct. Those dangerous monsters, the Mimic Beasts, were indeed wiped out during the Hunt-the-Beast Operation 200 years ago. However, this fragment that Earl Rohark ordered me to present to His Highness is a trophy from that very Sacred Hunt War. It is from one of several Mimic Beasts personally hunted by the ancestors of the Rohark family.”
Sola nodded and then began to tell Anke the story behind the fragment.
“A trophy from the Hunt-the-Beast Operation 200 years ago? But it looks like it’s still alive?”
Anke stared at the squirming flesh in the cage, an involuntary shiver running down his spine.
“That is because the vitality of these Mimic Beasts is terrifyingly strong. Even if their heads are cut off, they do not die immediately. As long as they are fed honey water, the corpse can be kept active indefinitely. It can even regenerate fresh flesh, excluding the head.”
Hearing how the Rohark family behind Sola desecrated the remains of her kin, Vera’s body instinctively tensed.
The hatred flowing through Vera’s blood made her want to kill this human woman, Sola—to strike back at Earl Rohark by killing the person who ensured her kin could not rest in peace even after death.
However, Vera’s logic told her that Earl Rohark was not the only enemy of the Mimic Beast race.
Risking exposure to deal with him would be an utter blunder.
If her identity as a Mimic Beast were revealed, there would be no hope of completing her mission to revive her race.
Humans would surely hunt her down as an aberration until she was dead. She could not take that risk.
Vera knew she had to assist Anke in ascending the throne, helping him become the unprecedented King of Kings in human history.
Only by controlling the power of humanity could she revive her race and have the strength to seek revenge against those who slaughtered her kind.
Until then, she had to endure.
“This is far too cruel.”
After listening to Sola’s explanation and looking at the writhing flesh, Anke felt a surge of nausea.
“Indeed. It doesn’t even have the right to choose death,” Hannah agreed with Anke.
“Lord Anke, Ms. Pauli, you are both far too merciful. Mimic Beasts are not human; they are evil, alien monsters. Letting them continuously create value for us isn’t cruelty—it’s atonement,” Sola said matter-of-factly.
‘Heh, what “atonement”? It’s just an excuse humans find for their own greed.’
Vera struggled to control the impulse for revenge, watching Sola’s performance with cold eyes.
“Something like this… just looking at it makes me feel uneasy. Is it actually valuable?” Hannah rubbed the goosebumps on her arms through her sleeves.
“Of course. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be traded among the nobility. Please look, Lord Anke.”
After Sola spoke, she signaled for a maid to pour a bottle of red liquid onto the fragment.
Upon contact with the liquid, the original mass of writhing white flesh rapidly began to split and differentiate.
At a speed visible to the naked eye, the disgusting lump transformed into a frog.
The frog, formed from the fragment, looked just like a real frog, its throat bulging as it let out a sound.
Ribbit ribbit.
“This… this is completely unscientific!” The transformation of the flesh defied Anke’s imagination.
“As long as it comes into contact with blood or flesh, the fragment can mimic the creature that the biological matter belongs to. It can even mimic humans, though because of the size limitation of this fragment, it can only mimic a part. Since I didn’t want to startle His Highness Anke, I won’t demonstrate that here,” Sola explained.
“It’s… it’s amazing,” Anke said in awe as he looked at the frog.
Anke’s fingertips unconsciously brushed against his sleeve.
The throat of the frog mimicked by the fragment pulsed exactly like that of a real frog.
“How does the Lord feel about the gift Earl Rohark prepared?”
“It was very unexpected. However, regarding the Earl’s gift, as long as the sentiment is there, I will be very satisfied regardless of what it is.” Anke gave a perfectly standard response.
“I am glad His Highness is satisfied. I will convey your feelings truthfully to Earl Rohark.”
“I see that it’s getting late. Ms. Sola, why don’t you and Ms. Hannah go get ready? We can head out to visit the Alchemy Workshop soon.”
“Great! I’m super excited for your Alchemy Workshop, Fourth Prince! See you later!” Hannah waved her hand and left with her maid to prepare.
“Understood. Everything shall be done according to the Lord’s arrangements. By the way, Lord Anke, it is best not to open the cage containing the fragment. Additionally, you need to feed it some honey every day; otherwise, it will truly die and become a worthless corpse.”
Before Sola left, she reminded Anke of two points regarding the care of the fragment.
“I understand. Thank you for the reminder, My Lady. See you shortly.”
After seeing off the two ladies, Anke stretched his body as if he had just been rescued.
“They’re finally gone. Talking for that long has made my brain practically smoke.”
After sitting back and leaning against the chair to rest for a moment, Anke looked at Vera.
“Vera, go and put that Mimic Beast fragment back into its original box. I’m a little creeped out.”
“Certainly, Your Highness.”
‘Pah, humans truly are greedy. All those nice words he said earlier were just for show.’
Vera placed the remains of her kin—which had reverted to white flesh—back into the box along with the cage, mentally categorizing Anke back with the rest of the common humans.
“Find some time tonight; let’s go bury it.”
Just as Vera was about to ask which collection room she should put this “gift” in, Anke said something completely unexpected.
“W-Why? Your Highness, wasn’t this a gift from Earl Rohark?”
Vera’s fingertips suddenly turned cold.
For 200 years, countless nobles like Earl Rohark had turned the fragments of her kin into playthings, medicinal ingredients, and trophies… No one had ever wanted to bury the remains of her people in the earth.
“Regardless, they are an intelligent race just like humans. To be unable to rest even in death… it’s too cruel. So, it’s better to let it return to the earth in peace.”
“But in the eyes of humans, aren’t Mimic Beasts terrifying alien monsters? Why do you say they are an intelligent race like humans, Your Highness?”
“It’s just a matter of perspective. I’ve read records regarding Mimic Beasts in the Royal Library. They weren’t just alien monsters that knew only slaughter; they were an intelligent race similar to humans, with their own emotions, culture, and history. History books record that because Mimic Beasts would mimic human kings to rule over human kingdoms, the human kingdoms united to launch the Hunt-the-Beast Operation to slaughter them all. But I think they were just too much like humans. Humans felt threatened, so they attacked them.”
Anke recalled the records in the yellowed manuscripts from the Royal Library—Mimic Beasts would manifest funerals for their fallen companions.
“So, is Your Highness… sympathizing with the Mimic Beasts?” Vera looked into Anke’s eyes.
She wanted to find evidence of a lie, but Anke’s gaze did not falter. He wasn’t lying.
“Yes. It’s strange, isn’t it? Even though I’m a human, I’m sympathizing with a race that isn’t human.”
Anke knew how rebellious his words were for this era; he could even be called a traitor to humanity.
“Forget it, let’s stop talking about this. Let’s go to the Alchemy Workshop and make a huge profit from those nobles!”
“Wait, Your Highness. I also have something to tell you.” Vera stopped Anke, not forgetting her purpose for this trip.
“What is it?” Anke turned back to look at Vera.
“I have caught wind that the Oca Family has secretly allied with the First Prince. They intend to deal with you together.”
“That matter? Thank you for the warning, Vera. I will make the necessary preparations.” After Anke finished speaking, he continued walking out.
As she watched Anke’s retreating back, Vera whispered in a voice only she could hear, “You aren’t strange at all, Anke.”