Chapter 58

“His Majesty is out of the issue here. Father, I am your son, please acknowledge that!”

If at this moment, father didn’t acknowledge me as his son here, father and I would end up as strangers for the rest of our lives. I would be deemed as not the son from the House of Arginia.

“Fania, I know your mind must be in chaos after being told so many things at once. Until now, for both of you to not be able to recognize each other, His Majesty must have it hard too.”

“Didn’t His Majesty say it’s not like that? He already said he didn’t have that kind of relationship with mother.”

“There are some things that couldn’t be orally said.”

Father wouldn’t believe me however I tried to convince him.

“Rudolf, although I was oblivious to it, I really had done a bad thing to you. I know this couldn’t be settled by mere apologies. However, please believe me. Carina and I really weren’t in that kind of relationship. Fania is your child.”

“Your Majesty, you shouldn’t lower your head to someone like me.”

None of His Majesty’s and my word got through to father. There was no helping it. He had been living for sixteen years believing it otherwise. It would be very difficult to change that deep-rooted notion inside him.

I gulped down my saliva with an audible sound. Now it had come to this, I was left with no other choice. I had to resort to my final trump card. However, it would deal a lot of damage to myself. If possible, I didn’t want to use it. Although I dreaded it, in order to crush down my father’s strong preconception, this was the only method left—the proof that I was indeed the son of the Arginias according to granny.

“Father, you must’ve thought that I’m not your child since before I was born, didn’t you? You felt that I was an estranged existence, so you never cared to look my way. If you only looked at me when I was born, just one look was enough, you would not suffer like this…”

I rose up from my seat and showed my back towards my father and continued,

“Father, look at this! The proof that I am the son of Arginias!!”

I lowered my pants along with my underwear. My lower half was butt-naked. If I go outside like this, I would be charged with public indecency among others and get caught. Moreover, to make my butt even more visible to my father, I bent forward.

“Wh-what are you doing! So vulgar, wear your pants immediately!” “Fania, why are you suddenly doing this?” Father and His Majesty raised their voices in consternation.

“Father, it’s here. This spot. Please look here!” I pointed to my left buttcheek.

On my left buttcheek, there was a birthmark. It was red and resembled three circles overlapping; quite a distinctive mark. The mark appeared to be raised from the skin so it couldn’t be a result of tattooing.

This birthmark was inherited by all sons in the Arginia family. This mark was the exact proof that one had the blood of the Arginia. Out of all places, my birthmark happened to be in an embarrassing place—my butt—but father had it on the back of his hand.

Since I was little, granny kept telling me that this was the proof that I carried the Arginia blood. Mother conceived me from their first night and the only one time they had sexual intercourse.

“Th-that birthmark…” Of course, my father knew the meaning of this mark.

“No way, no way, no way…”

“Yes father, I am your child!” I shouted while my junior was open to the air.

I wanted him to acknowledge me as his son. To acknowledge me as the son of the House of Arginia.

*BANG!*

“Fania, are you alright!” Al rushed into the room; he must’ve discovered that I was meeting my father.

Um, I somewhat predicted this. This was what you call ‘raising a flag’1. But I still wanted to say this,

WHY NOW! Out of all times, WHY AT THIS EXACT TIMING?!!! Guards, do your work! If you can just open that door so easily, there’s no meaning for you to be standing there on guard! I inwardly screamed.

My butt was fully exposed. Father was in stupor as he observed at my birthmark (his eyes affixed on butt). His Majesty was at a loss as he also looked at my butt.

“What are you doinggggg!!!” Al’s yell reverberated in the vicinity.

The stiff guards (they froze the moment I exposed my butts). Father who was still motionless. His Majesty who was somehow fidgeting. And I, stood frozen with my butt towards Al.

Why now? Why at this time when I’m in this state? Why must you barge in now? Whyyy?!! I fell into panic; I didn’t even remember that the most relevant action to be done was to wear my pants back up. While in the state I was in, I chose to dash towards Al.

“Al!”

Turning my head back to Al’s direction, I wanted to move but my lowered pants stalled my movement. I forced my way through and ended up losing my balance. I fell forward. All of these happened in a second.

I fell face down, so my junior was buried under my body, and no one could see it… I think. I, who was rendered immobile, struggled to look up at Al.

“Al, Al~” I stretched out my hand.

I couldn’t help it. Al was right in front of my eyes. Al, who I hadn’t been able to meet for months. Although I was butt-naked, I was brimming with joy.

I wanna hug Al. I wanna breathe in his scent.

“Just what did you do to Fania?! No matter if you’re my own father, depending on the reason, I would not let you off!”

Al was furious. Although that was his own father, he was downright picking a fight with the King.

“N-no. There was an important proof on my butt, so I needed to show it.” I rushed to stop Al, but his fury was uncontainable.

“Don’t cover for him. Regardless of the necessity, only I’m allowed to see your butt.”

“You two, before you make a racket, cover that butt first!” Zernite who followed in Al’s wake covered by butt with his jacket.

‘Thanks, Zernite.’ While being covered under Zernite’s jacket, I wore my pants back. Once I finished, I returned his jacket and finally I could go hug Al.

“Al. It’s Al…”

“Fania…” Al hugged me back as I was sniffing him in his arms.

“Father, afterwards I would properly demand an explanation as to why Fania was exposing his lower parts, you get me?” Al was glaring at His Majesty with a murderous expression.

His Majesty was battered from the conversation he had with my father and I. There was a lot of information to take in, and everything was so impactful to boot.

“Fania, let’s go.” Al grabbed my shoulder as he wanted to drag me away.

Thankfully he didn’t carry me bridal-style in front of His Majesty. That was just too embarrassing for me. I dreaded it but I wondered why I felt like something was lacking. Of course I didn’t want to be carried that way. It would be extremely embarrassing…

“Your Highness…” Father who was in a stupor until now suddenly called out to Al, who was about to turn his back towards them.

“I beg you. Please don’t take Fania away. I have something important to talk about with Fania. I, I, there’s something I have to… Please, Your Highness, let me have a talk with Fania.” Father’s haggard figure stunned Al, his eyes widened.

From Al’s perspective, my father who was referred to as the bigwig and possessed a higher-than-thou attitude looked so sallow and wan; Al must be very surprised. It was obvious that this man had tried to eliminate me, so believing that he couldn’t entrust me to this man, Al must’ve tried all means to barge in this room. He couldn’t possibly pass me to father that easily. He didn’t release his hand that was wrapped around my shoulders.

“Al, I also have things I need to talk about with my father. Moreover, my father no longer wishes to eliminate me. The misunderstanding has been solved. My father and I, we didn’t get to have a proper talk so far. Thus, things have gone twisted until this point. Al, I’m so happy that you came all the way here for me. I’m practically over the moon with happiness. But I can’t go with Al yet. My father and I have to talk in order for us to be real father-and-son.”

My seriousness might have been successfully conveyed to Al, he only replied with “Is that so?” and released his hand off my shoulders.

It felt sad when Al’s warmth left me. I felt so glum when Al, who I hadn’t seen for months, parted from me and went away.

“Please let my father and I talk by ourselves.” I bowed to His Majesty.

“Alright.” Instead of His Majesty, Al answered and he dragged His Majesty out of the room together with him.

Left in the room was only my father and me. Well, the useless guards still stood at both sides of the door.

”

”

Thus began the talk between us that paved the way for us to be real father-and-son.