Raising the Princess to Overcome Death Chapter 98
98. Beggar Siblings – Lutetia Palace
Leo and sixty knights headed for the north gate of Lutetia.
The commander of the Third Order, who accompanied them, showed his badge to the guards at the gate and said, “We are here to conduct an unscheduled inspection of the west gate’s defenses. You’ll receive official notification tomorrow, so do not report this.”
The soldiers at the north gate chuckled, anticipating the trouble the soldiers at the west gate would face, and let the knights out.
They waited for a while in a collapsed guard post, then entered after confirming two blue lines shooting up into the dark sky.
Opening the hidden barred door beneath the guard post revealed a rectangular passage, narrow enough that two people had to walk side by side.
This was the secret passage leading to the palace.
Only a few members of the Yeriel royal family and the Royal Guard knew about the existence of these secret passages, extending in all four directions. Leo chose the northern passage.
Ten knights each took the other three passages, while the remaining forty headed for the main and rear gates of the palace to block any escape routes for Prince Eric.
But,
“Wait. Stop.”
Leo, at the front, paused and bent down.
‘Why is this here?’
It was nearly missed in the dark, but he noticed something squishy on the solid ground when he stepped on it. As he brushed the floor with his toe, a black plant was pushed aside, revealing the stone floor beneath.
‘Dup.’
According to {Rules of the Back Alley}, Dup was a type of moss that spread thinly on the ground.
Also known as the 'blanket of the condemned,' this black plant was mainly found in prisons, growing rapidly in cells of those awaiting execution, terrifying many inmates.
It could also be found near the sick or elderly close to death, but it was rare due to its specific requirement for moist but non-wet ground.
The presence of this plant indicated that something had died here.
“What is it?”
“...Nothing. Let’s hurry.”
Leo straightened his head, which had been tilted in puzzlement.
Questions like ‘Did a rat come in and die?’, ‘Where did the corpse go?’ crossed his mind, but there was no time to worry about such trivial matters. Bart and Hazen had already attacked the duke’s household, so they needed to match the timing.
They resumed their advance along the passage. The sound of dozens of footsteps echoed.
There were occasional forks in the secret passage. These were meant to confuse pursuers during escape, but they continued in a nearly straight direction.
Besides, with the commander of the Royal Guard, who knew the passage well, leading them, there was nothing to hinder their progress.
After walking for a long time, Leo and the knights gradually slowed down as the commander signaled for silence.
They walked quietly for a moment...
“We have arrived.”
Although the passage continued, and a turn was visible ahead, the commander stopped.
He drew his sword and tapped the ceiling ‘tap, tap’.
“Ah!”
The ceiling had a hidden metal door, painted the same color as the surrounding stone. It was easy to miss while traveling through the dark, monotonous passage.
The door creaked open, and a rope ladder unfurled.
“I will go up first. Prince, please follow slowly if you can.”
The commander spoke apologetically. It was understandable, as the one who ascended first was considered brave in such moments.
Leo shrugged and let him go first, ascending as the twentieth in line.
‘It’s higher than I thought.’
Seeing the knights climb quickly, he thought it wasn’t high, but the rope ladder was quite long. Just as he started to feel breathless, “Prince. Grab hold,” he grasped someone's hand and was pulled up.
[Achievement: First Entry into the Palace - You become stronger in the palace.]
They had emerged in a room with a floor door. A thick rug had been pulled back, revealing the passage they had climbed, with a rope attached to open and close the door below.
“A storeroom?”
“Yes, a place to store miscellaneous items used for annual events.”
Brook, the royal guard who had been recruited to open the door from inside, answered.
Leo and the knights waited for the others to climb up, then swarmed out.
It was indeed a palace.
Even in the dead of night, the outer corridors of the palace were lit with lamps burning expensive, odorless oil.
“Where is Prince Eric’s room?”
Leo confirmed that {Tracking} pointed upward and urged the knights to hurry.
They ascended the stairs and entered a hall, which appeared to be a sort of salon, with low tables and chairs scattered around.
Indeed, it was luxurious. The lamps’ oil was nothing in comparison.
Leo and his knights were struck by the opulence of the salon they entered. The plush purple carpet underfoot, display cabinets towering to the high ceiling filled with decorations, and chandeliers with hundreds of crystal drops that looked like raindrops all spoke of wealth.
The walls, likely made of brick, were covered in fine wood treated with ambergris, a high-priced fragrance extracted from the baleena, a whale-like creature in this world. Ambergris-treated wood was prized, often increasing in value many times over when used to make expensive furniture, yet here it was used just to adorn walls.
Baleena's meat was considered a delicacy for its tender sweetness, and its waterproof hide was used for high-quality garments. The skin varied in color, often blue or white, and the red uniform Leo once wore, sent by Marquis Tatian, was made of baleena leather.
Besides its other valuable parts, baleena’s massive salivary glands were especially cherished for producing ambergris, which emitted a soft fragrance without burning.
The wood treated with ambergris here was further embellished with metals like gold, silver, and copper, creating exquisite patterns, and fresh flowers bloomed fragrantly despite the winter season.
The palace, unlike the outside, wasn’t cold. It felt like an indoor garden, warming Leo and his knights as they moved.
“Commander? What brings you here at this hour? Wait!”
“Quentin, do not act rashly.”
A guard at the entrance to the grand hall, recognizing the intruding knights, shouted in alarm, his voice echoing in the hall.
Sensing danger, he pulled out a red whistle. Blowing it would awaken all guards and servants, and the palace guards would immediately mobilize.
“Quentin! Wait! This isn’t a rebellion!”
“You expect such an excuse to work after bringing knights into the palace at this late hour…”
- Clatter.
Quentin froze. The whistle dropped from his hand, rolling on the black granite steps.
He was horrified to see the young man standing beside the commander.
Leo stepped forward.
“Quentin, was it? Step aside. I understand your position, but I do not wish to spill innocent blood.”
“Could it be? How... alive...?”
“Yes, I am alive. Now, will you step aside or try to stop me?”
The commander retrieved the whistle from the floor and folded his hands respectfully.
He understood Quentin’s confusion and guilt. The Royal Guards had betrayed Prince Leo. When the prince needed protection, many had used the excuse that "the guards must not interfere in the fight for succession," abandoning him as the power shifted to Prince Eric.
In truth, only a few brave souls like Bart and Barin fled with Leo, while the rest stayed, selfishly surviving.
“I... I will...”
Quentin couldn’t lift his head, wanting to disappear into the floor under Leo’s gaze.
“I will step aside.”
He knelt beside the threshold, making way.
Allowing knights into the palace without the king’s permission was a breach of duty, but Quentin couldn’t bear the guilt. Neither could he beg for forgiveness now, so silently stepping aside was the best he could do.
“Thank you, Quentin.”
The prince ascended the stairs, and Quentin didn’t rise for a long time after the knights had passed.
Similar incidents of guards stepping aside occurred several times.
As they moved from one hall to another, Leo and his knights encountered more guards, who reacted similarly to Quentin. Overwhelmed by guilt upon seeing Leo, they quietly stepped aside.
However, this could not go on indefinitely. As they passed through yet another hall, the commander spoke.
“Your Highness, Prince Eric’s chambers are up ahead. From here, his personal guards will be stationed. They are unlikely to let us pass.”
“How much farther to Prince Eric’s room?”
“Just one more hall and then up a flight of stairs. What do you intend to do?”
“...We push through. We’ve been lucky to get this far without incident.”
At Leo's decision, the knights drew their swords. The sharp sound of blades being unsheathed echoed, and the swords gleamed menacingly in the chandelier light.
“Let’s go!”
“What, what is this!”
The knights kicked open the door and rushed forward.
One of the guards stationed in the hall jumped up in alarm and blew a silent whistle with all his might. Suddenly, noises of movement were heard throughout the palace as everyone began waking up and rushing about.
Through the windows, they could see guards hurrying out into the garden below.
Then,
“What is that?”
Leo pointed to the mist rising into the air. It began to spread through the chandeliers, filling the space with an eerie glow.
“The mage is awake. That’s the ‘Cloud Eye’ spell,” the commander explained. “As I mentioned before, the mage can see everything under that cloud. Soldiers will be swarming this place soon. We must hurry.”
Leo nodded and followed the knights up the stairs.
Magic.
Leo knew little about mages or magic, aside from what he had learned from {Noble Society}. They were rare and secretive, often reclusive, making interaction difficult. They could only be contacted through the magic towers where they conducted their researChapter There were five such towers on the continent...
“What is the meaning of this!”
At that moment, Prince Eric de Yeriel’s angry voice echoed. Leo hurried up the bloodstained stairs.
[Achievement: Met Eric de Yeriel – Earn a slight favor from all nobles serving the Yeriel royal family. Earn a slight favor from Eric de Yeriel.]
Eric de Yeriel’s room, although within the castle, was isolated from the adjacent rooms, accessible only via the stairs Leo had just climbed.
The room, protruding slightly from the palace, was surrounded by windows offering a clear view to the south and east. The angry prince stood by the window, glaring at the intruding knights.
Despite the late hour, he was fully dressed, as if ready to go out...
Leo now understood why the knights recognized him so easily. From Bart to the others, they had all mentioned how much he resembled the king, but it was really Eric they meant.
Eric bore an uncanny resemblance to Leo. He was taller, lacked the golden eyes, and his blonde hair was mixed with the brown of the Tertan family rather than the blue representing the Yeriel royal lineage, but otherwise, they were nearly identical.
However, their expressions were completely different. While Leo was gentle and warm, Eric appeared sharp and cold.
Eric’s piercing black eyes, which could appear almost neurotic, were fixed on Leo.
“So... you’re alive.”
“Eric de Yeriel, long time no see, should I say?”
As Leo stepped forward, the knights who had their swords aimed at Eric took a step back. Leo savored the sense of accomplishment and allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction. His long journey was nearing its end.
He would kill this man and announce the rightful heir’s return. His sister would live as a princess in luxury and abundance...
Eric de Yeriel muttered in frustration.
“So it was you who sent the knights to attack the duke’s household...”
But his displeased expression quickly vanished. He looked Leo up and down and smirked.
Sword, nothing unusual.
Rings, necklaces, bracelets... none.
Foolish boy.
“Haha! It’s good to see you again, brother!”
Eric’s eyes flashed red for a moment, and something swept past Leo.
“What now? Surely you wouldn’t think of killing your brother... Oh?”
Eric’s face shifted from a friendly pretense to one of shock, while Leo, pale and trembling from the strange energy that had passed through him, was equally stunned.
A grotesque bull’s head, like a nightmarish vision, flashed before his eyes.
With seventeen randomly protruding horns, the skull was melting to the point where bones were exposed in places.
Rotten blood swirled in its eyes as it looked at Leo. Though brief, that horrifying gaze made Leo retch.
As if he had smelled a terrible stench.