Chapter 100. Beggar Siblings – The Finale
“Princess, don’t worry. The prince will be safe.”
“…”
Princess Lena was restless, unable to sleep, and pacing back and forth, worried about the prince heading towards the royal castle with the knights.
“You saw the knights who went with the prince earlier, right? They will protect him well. Besides, that’s not all. Many knights had already departed earlier.”
“Even so… why did my brother insist on going himself? Couldn’t he leave it to the knights?”
“That…”
Xenia Zachary was at a loss for words.
She didn’t know why the prince insisted on going himself. Prince Leo had not budged despite the knights’ dissuasion.
He had insisted he must go himself.
It seemed he was overwhelmed with emotion. It appeared he lost his self-control at the moment of revenge.
‘He’s still young, after all.’
The prince always gave the impression of someone who had been through many trials. He was gentle, generous to subordinates, yet there was a certain dryness to him.
As if his youthful vigor had been worn down.
The knights had no choice when the prince insisted on going. There was also the reason that the royal guards at the palace might be confused if they saw the prince…
“The prince must have been in a hurry. It’s been over ten years since his return, right? Please understand him.”
“…”
“When you wake up, the prince will have prepared to bring you into the castle. I assure you. This is not a fight we can lose.”
Xenia consoled her with a smile, but Lena only gave a bitter smile.
– Just wait.
In the end, I was no help to my brother.
As always, I had nothing to do, and my brother managed to do it all. There was one day left to return the heavy burden home.
And the one who was carefully guarding that burden was…
“Xenia.”
“Yes, princess.”
“Didn’t you want to go too? You stayed because of me, right? The other knights were all excited…”
Lena recalled Bart humming. Bart and his comrades, who lived with them in this hideout, had been laughing heartily for days.
“Why are you in such a good mood?” — When she asked, they said it was because they were on the verge of a glorious moment.
So, Xenia had missed that moment because of me.
“I’m your bodyguard, princess. That’s my duty, and I’m happy to protect you.”
Xenia Zachary, who had longed for adventure, gently deflected the princess’s question without showing her disappointment.
It was a shame not to partake in a historic moment. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t disappointed. But the prince had earnestly asked her to protect the princess, and it was an important task.
Lena, seemingly comforted by her response, loosened her sullen expression and said,
“…Alright. Then I’ll go to sleep.”
“Yes, princess. See you tomorrow.”
Lena returned to her room to sleep, and Xenia spent her time sitting by the lobby’s fireplace.
A historic night was passing.
Watching the crackling flames, she thought, ‘This isn’t so bad.’
In fact, not knowing the situation made her excited. The anticipation was possible because an overwhelming victory was expected.
But then,
– Clang! Clang! Clang!
The campfire shook ominously.
Thick smoke seemed to get lost and entangled confusedly, and from somewhere, a shattering bell sound was heard.
It was the bell of the Rutina Church.
“What is it?”
Xenia grabbed her sword’s sheath and held her breath. She stood still, focusing on the sound.
‘Did it succeed? But why the church…?’
It was the time for the operation to end.
If things went as planned, Duke Tertan and Prince Eric de Yeriel would no longer be alive by now.
So, is that the sound of the bell announcing the return of the rightful heir? Or is it the celebration announcing that the world has changed before the night is even over?
‘This wasn’t part of the plan.’
The prince, who disliked ceremonial fuss, would never do something so extravagant. The ominous feeling that something was wrong sent a chill down her spine.
“Xenia, what’s going on?”
“Princess, aren’t you going to sleep a bit more…?”
The princess, startled by the bell, came down with disheveled hair.
“Why is the bell ringing?”
“…I don’t know.”
“Could something have happened?”
“No, it couldn’t…”
Suddenly, Xenia recalled something.
– “If anything happens, run immediately.”
It was a repeated reminder from the prince.
He had emphasized it countless times. No matter what, if anything suspicious happened, she was to run without looking back, as if she considered herself dead.
A chill ran through Xenia’s body.
Could this be what Prince Leo had warned about? Did he foresee something going wrong?
She was dazed, fiddling with her left wrist, unable to move hastily.
Should she follow the prince’s words?
Should she run away with the princess now?
But… could that be right? Running away just because of a bell sound?
Xenia was hesitating, caught between the ominous feeling and the prince’s warning.
“Xenia, what’s wrong? Is something happening?”
“Ah, no, princess, don’t worry. It’s probably nothing.”
“…People who say it’s nothing don’t look like that. Be honest with me. Something happened, right?”
“…”
“Xenia! Pull yourself together.”
“Yes? Yes, princess.”
Lena felt her heart clench but pretended to stay calm.
Looking at Xenia’s face, something was definitely wrong. It seemed like something had happened to her brother.
Suppressing her anxiety, she issued her first ‘order,’ sternly addressing her bewildered bodyguard.
“Tell me what you know. What happened? Why are you hesitating?”
Lena’s commanding gaze was full of authority. Her round forehead held a regal presence, and her delicate lips bore arrogance as if this was her true self.
The face reflected in the fireplace was not just beautiful; it was the face of royalty, chillingly pressing down on the knight before her.
“T-That is…”
The flickering light momentarily softened her face, but Xenia felt a bit overawed.
“The truth is, the prince told me…”
Thinking she shouldn’t speak, she hesitated but started to reveal the concern. Her golden eyes were still fixed on Xenia.
Those radiant eyes.
Looking into the eyes symbolizing the royalty of the Archean Empire, one would realize they were merely a commoner, and she was the ruler. It was a stark reminder.
“…He told me to run away with you if anything seemed wrong? What kind of nonsense is that?”
“What?” — The princess’s face showed disbelief, returning to her usual cute demeanor.
Despite the startling contrast, Xenia didn’t feel embarrassed about kneeling without realizing it.
It was only natural as she served her.
She might have had a poor upbringing, but she was born royal. If she had never shown such a side, it might have been disappointing.
“Xenia.” (Lena)
“Yes. Give me your command.”
“Can you go outside and see what’s happening? Please, let me finish speaking.”
Lena stopped Xenia from objecting that the prince had ordered her not to leave the princess’s side and continued speaking.
“I’m not asking you to do anything drastic, just to check the situation briefly. Since the bell sound is from the church, could you just go to the church and see what’s happening?”
Though her words lost confidence and could no longer be called an order, Xenia felt somewhat relieved.
Following the prince’s difficult command was a heavy burden for her.
If the knights who had succeeded in the operation returned excitedly, and the bodyguard was found to have fled with the princess, how absurd would that be?
However, the princess’s command lightened the burden.
Knights entrusted their judgment to their lords and gained honor by following orders. Conversely, the lords of the knights achieved their desires by commanding the knights and bore the responsibility for the results.
And Xenia was a knight.
“Understood. I’ll be back shortly. Princess, you must stay in your room.”
“Alright. Don’t worry.”
Leaving the princess behind, Xenia stepped outside.
She recalled the dignity of the princess, who she thought was only pretty and cute. She was glad to have followed Prince Leo.
Thinking, ‘The future of our kingdom is bright,’ she closed the door. She had to assess the situation and decide whether to run or not… What was that?
Something was floating above the royal palace.
Eyes filled with rotten blood.
As soon as Xenia’s eyes met those, a bull’s hoofmark was imprinted on her face. She drew her sword and ran towards the palace instead of the church. She ran wildly, oozing thick pus from her face.
Meanwhile, Lena,
“Why is she so late?”
Waited endlessly.
She waited alone, locked in her room, but her bodyguard never returned.
* * *
“Xenia! Why are you—”
Leo screamed. Xenia Zachary, who was supposed to protect Lena, was running toward him.
She wasn’t the only one running. A young man with a chair, an old man repeatedly swinging and dropping his cane, and a woman with a kitchen knife…
Even civilians, their faces bearing gruesome hoofmarks, had lost their sanity. They had all met eyes with Oriax.
“Xenia! Xenia! Stop! Go back!”
Leo grabbed her. He shook her shoulders and slapped her cheeks.
Please come to your senses… Please.
“Prince! Let me go! I must deal with them immediately…!”
Xenia pushed Leo away and threw herself at the now thirteen monsters.
“Ah… Ah… Aaaah!”
Left behind, Leo let out a scream that was either a cry of anguish or despair.
Lena! My sister!
– Thud!
Someone knocked him down as they rushed past, but Leo didn’t look back.
Where is my sister? Where is Lena?
He glanced around, fearing he might be late because he couldn’t keep up with Xenia. But she was nowhere to be seen.
Using {Tracking}, he confirmed that his sister was still at the southern hideout. It seemed she was safe… but there was no time to feel relieved.
Lena was alone now.
The fact that no one was protecting her tore at Leo’s heart.
If I die, Lena…
He got up and ran. Thoughts of not going to his sister or going to Bart to discuss what to do next vanished.
He couldn’t leave his sister alone.
His sister, whose beauty had fully bloomed. She would become an adult next month, and she had turned into a dazzlingly beautiful young lady.
And our hideout was… in the back alleys. A place where thugs roamed frequently, and, to avoid the scrutiny of other families, we had opened an information shop.
It was a place where thugs visited a dozen times a day.
[ Debuff: Oriax’s Footprint – Provocation, you cannot flee. November 29, 16 years and 11 months, 11:52:43 PM. ]
Leo’s body began to decay. The further he moved from the palace gate, the more his flesh fell off.
A monster behind him, a curse ahead.
“Lenaaa!”
But the pain of his body decaying was nothing compared to the horrific future awaiting his sister. He forgot even Oriax’s curious gaze.
Please, just my sister…
He ran frantically forward,
‘Wait, wait, wait, wait.’
And abruptly stopped.
No. I was temporarily out of my mind. Lena is not alone. Bart and his comrades, Hazen and the knights. With those who went to the duke’s house, even if I die, Lena will be…
At that moment, Leo’s eyes widened as if they were being torn apart.
“Oh… Oh no…! Oh no!”
In the distance, Hazen was running toward him.
The entire 2nd Knight Order, who had headed to the Tertan Duke’s estate, was running back with branded marks on their faces.
‘B-Bart is not here. Bart is not here.’
Among those rushing toward him, Bart was absent… and there was no trace of him even with {Tracking}.
Which meant Bart was…
Leo urgently grabbed Hazen.
“P-Prince? Let go of…”
“Hazen! Get a grip! Where is Bart? What… what happened to him?”
“Bart is dead. The duke…”
Before Hazen could finish speaking, he shook Leo off, and Leo’s nose fell to the ground.
Left standing alone, Leo laughed. People madly dashing past him brushed against him, but he just laughed.
“Haha… Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha! This is a dream. It’s a dream. This can’t be real. Hahahahaha!”
While denying reality, he moved. Towards the hideout. His rotten leg flailed wildly, but he walked urgently.
In the end, his leg decayed so much he couldn’t walk and started crawling. Then, as his arms decayed, he rolled.
Eventually, Leo died. Far from his destination, he decayed into an unrecognizable state, unbefitting of a prince.
‘Lena… my sister…’
Above a pool of blood, a message appeared. The message coldly announced the end.
[ Leo has died. ]
