After-Story Chapter 2: Souma Secret Child? (Part 1)

—Excerpt from a Palsupo Article on a Certain Day.

‘Several years have passed since Souma-sama, the central figure in the formation of the South Continent Union, ceded the throne to his son, Cian Friedonia who became the second King of the Kingdom of Friedonia. The world of the Southern Hemisphere is now so peaceful and safe that foreign travel is no longer a rarity, and the number of children who don’t remember the age of turmoil is increasing.’

‘While no major incidents have recently occurred, a certain rumor has recently begun circulating in “Lagoon City,” the central city of the Walter Duchy ruled by Excel Walter. This rumor is none other than:’

【Shocking!! Predecessor King Souma Suspected of Having a Hidden Child?!】

‘…While Predecessor King Souma-sama welcomed beautiful consorts of various races and nationalities, and had many children—which led to him sometimes being called the “Lustful King” or the “Emperor of the Night” by some, fueled by the jealousy of other men—there had never been any rumors of affairs or hidden children.’

‘This was because even after Souma ceded the throne, his consorts remained actively engaged in their work, and his children, including His Majesty Sian, were all growing up splendidly, indicating a harmonious family life and good marital relationships. Yet, now there is talk of a so-called hidden child, not belonging to any of his current wives, and this child is rumored to be in Lagoon City.’

‘If true, this could potentially crack the relationship between Souma-sama and his wives, and would inevitably impact the politics of this nation. To verify whether this scarcely believable rumor is true, a reporter from this paper has flown to Lagoon City, the heart of the controversy.’

That day, having infiltrated Lagoon City as an anonymous reporter for Palsupo (short for Weekly Parnam Sports), I immediately began gathering information.

“The Predecessor King’s hidden child? What are you—ah, could you perhaps be talking about that girl?”

Surprisingly, the proprietress of the inn where the reporter was staying, who I questioned as a starting point, seemed to know something. Suppressing my excitement at this promising start, I asked the proprietress to share the full story.

“You must mean Noa-chan, right? She has black hair just like the Predecessor King. Though her features don’t resemble him much.”

Just like that, the name of the alleged hidden child was revealed: Noa. I pressed the proprietress for more details.

“She’s a good girl. She has a dignified air that makes her a bit hard to approach, but… I hurt my back carrying supplies the other day. I was stuck on the street, and Noa-chan, who was just passing by, not only carried me on her back but also carried all my packages.”

To carry both a person and a large load at the same time? It seems this girl named Noa possesses incredible strength. I recall that Predecessor King Souma-sama was more inclined toward civil administration than military affairs, with few recorded instances of him excelling on the battlefield. I remember him as the one who used the power of intellect to defeat the martial Fuuga Haan. I found it hard to believe that such a Souma-sama would have a hidden child with superhuman strength.

It appears I need to gather more information. I thanked the proprietress and went out into the city to inquire about the girl named Noa.

“Noa-chan? She has a distinctive look, so you can spot her right away.” (by a stall vendor)

“She’s a well-mannered, good kid. And a beauty, too.” (by a florist shop owner)

“She was wearing a uniform, wasn’t she with the Naval Officers’ Academy?”

“That’s right. She’s probably about fifteen, you know.” (by wives chatting by the well)

…It seems the girl named Noa is well-known in Lagoon City. If you ask people on the street, they immediately know who you mean. However, when I asked if she was ‘Predecessor King Souma-sama’s hidden child,’ everyone looked stunned. They quickly adopted an awkward expression and said:

“Oh… that rumor is… well…”

“Well, I suppose it’s inevitable that a rumor like that would start.”

“Haha… I can only feel sorry for Noa-chan.”

…Their replies were vague and evasive, as if they had something caught in their throat. A girl named Noa, who is the subject of a hidden child suspicion, and the residents of this city who seem to know something about her but only give ambiguous answers. …There’s no doubt. This city is hiding something. Convinced of this, the reporter continued his investigation.

I then ran into a girl who was a classmate of Noa’s at the Naval Officers’ Academy.

“Noa-chan? She’s my friend.”

The girl spoke cheerfully. With her gentle demeanor and sociable air, I felt I might be able to glean some valuable information from her. I began my interview with her on a bench in a seaside park. Eating ice cream she bought from a stall, she recounted:

“She’s a beautiful girl, right? And such a serious, good person. Even though she’s the daughter of the Predecessor King, she never acts stuck-up. If anything, she’s down-to-earth? She always eats at the school cafeteria.”

It seems the girl named Noa being the Predecessor King’s hidden child is an open secret. However, I felt a slight sense of unease about the mental state of this girl, who spoke of a hidden child—a figure considered somewhat shady—as if it were normal. Even more so since she claimed to be her friend. I asked her if the girl was a prominent figure at school. She nodded.

“Well, she’s bound to stand out. Because of her birth and her appearance. She’s beautiful, plus she has features you can’t forget once you see her.”

Features? What could they be?

“She has small deer antlers growing on her head, and a reptilian tail comes out from under her uniform skirt.”

Those features… A Kōryū (Flood Dragon) species? Excel Walter, the former Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Force, was also of the Kōryū species. The features she described match those of the Kōryū species. At that moment, I had a premonition… but it was too soon to make a judgment. I asked her if she stood out at school.

“Well, yeah. Right after she enrolled, everyone kept their distance, looking at her from afar, but Noa-chan is so nice. And she’s really strong, too. She easily knocked out a senior who was trying to pull rank on a junior, and since then, she’s been like a leader among her classmates. Though she herself doesn’t seem to like being treated specially.”

Hmm. That might be related to her being the Predecessor King’s hidden child. Could she have had painful experiences because of it?

“Since being promoted to the next grade, she’s definitely become more feminine, I think. But she seems to be more popular with girls than boys. Her juniors call her ‘Onee-sama’ and adore her.”

Huh? From what I’m hearing, I’d think she would be popular with boys, too. When I voiced my question, she gave a wry laugh.

“Haha… It’s not so much Noa-chan as it is her guardian that’s the problem. For boys who know who Noa-chan’s guardian is, she’s seen as an unapproachable beauty, or rather… they feel like they’d be played by her if they tried anything. Noa-chan complained about it, too. ‘I want to be popular with boys, not just girls!’ she said.”

Guardian? Could she mean Souma-sama?

“No, not him… Noa-chan lives at the Duke Walter’s estate. Boys seem to associate Noa-chan with the Duke Walter, who is known for being experienced in romance. I mean, they’re both of the Kōryū species, you know.”

The girl named Noa lives at the Duke Walter’s estate. Hearing this fact, my prediction turned into conviction. The suspicion of Souma-sama’s hidden child, the Kōryū girl named Noa, and her residence at the estate of the other Kōryū, Excel Walter. There is no mistake. Souma-sama’s hidden child is the girl named Noa, and her mother is Duke Walter.

Excel Walter is the grandmother of Souma-sama’s first concubine, Juna Doma, but she has the appearance of someone in her twenties. If there had been a moment of weakness between Souma-sama and Duke Walter, it would not be strange for a child to have been born. However, this is only my prediction. If I publish this as is, it will be judged as mere fantasy.

In that case, I have no choice but to go straight to the heart of the controversy and face the music. The reporter decided to request a direct interview with Duke Walter to ascertain the truth of this suspicion.