At Ye Chuqi's Coming-of-Age Ceremony banquet, Jelous finally dropped his disguise and told her who he really was.
That left a problem: his identities as the Third Prince and the leader of the Red Wind Mercenary Group could not coexist for long. It was a paradox. Jelous wanted to give up his princely status and Imperial Succession and live as freely as Red Beard. But Red Beard could only exist because of the Illusion Stone in his possession. The stone was a secret treasure passed down only during changes of succession in the Wovart Empire. In short, only an emperor was entitled to keep it. By giving it to Jelous, His Majesty the Emperor had all but handed him the throne early.
If Jelous wanted to keep using the Illusion Stone, he had to inherit the throne. If he gave up the throne, he would lose the stone—and with it, his identity as Red Beard.
Ye Chuqi clicked her tongue. "Can't you just inherit the throne, then use the Illusion Stone to become Red Beard and go adventuring now and then? It's not that your two identities can't coexist. Your choices are either to keep both or give up both." She gave Jelous a sidelong look. "Only children have to choose..."
"Hm?" Jelous said.
"You're an adult. Why not learn to have both?"
He had switched freely between the Third Prince and Captain Red Beard for years without trouble. Why did he have to upset that balance? Did becoming emperor mean losing his freedom? Well, she had never been an emperor, so she had no idea.
And even if it did, Jelous had the strength and resolve to change things.
Jelous only smiled. The two identities could coexist, but Ye Chuqi and the imperial family could not. Palace life did