The Seventh Prince Runs Away from Awkward Situations Chapter 79

“What are you talking about? That man is dead meat anyway. He is not an opponent we can help.”

Once again, a piece of broken wood fell next to the frustrated Tollin.

The Duke limped and hurriedly took Tollin to the entrance.

The secret passage might be safer, but there was no way Tollin would know the path, and there was no time to explain right now.

“You, go down the tower just like this and inform the other Imperial Family members gathered for the ritual about the things happening here. The reason Prince Dito has been moving carefully until now is surely because he is conscious of the other Imperial Family members. That is the only way to stop this fight even a little bit sooner.”

“Who is that guy to you that you are taking a path to certain death again?”

Although the Duke spoke quickly, Tollin asked while trying to shake off the Duke's arm.

Though he had to clutch his relocated shoulder with a groan again.

Taking advantage of the moment the Duke's grip loosened out of surprise at his painful appearance, Tollin stepped back from the entrance.

“There is no need to take the risk of calling other Imperial Family members. If the Little Duke has escaped, there is no reason for you to be here. You just need to escape with me amidst the commotion just like this. Anyway, Jack or Pale are…….”

Trailing off, Tollin's implication was guessed by the Duke, who furrowed his brows as if it were regrettable.

“Even so, I cannot escape like this. That man saved my and Flinn's lives.”

Even knowing what kind of guy I am.

There were many truths to share with him.

Things like what happened to the child, why he saved me, and why he helped my son escape.

And his intuition was sending a warning.

If Ratel dies, if he disappears from the world, there will be no one left to face the Imperial Family forever.

“I cannot watch that guy die.”

“You are making that kind of choice again.”

Tollin's voice was trembling.

“What about the Little Duke or the people of the Duke's household? Without knowing anything about how we have lived, with what heart I have been guarding that place……! And now you say you will risk your life in front of my eyes again?”

Tollin's bloodshot eyes turned towards the Duke.

Dissatisfaction that couldn't be expressed at the last farewell, and resentment that couldn't be spewed out to him who had become deceased, burst out.

“Damn it, can't you live a little selfishly? No, it's correct that you are selfish. Because it ends if you just choose a clean death after leaving the aftermath to the remaining people. The remaining people, the remaining people……!”

The Duke carefully placed his hand on Tollin's head, who couldn't continue his words and lowered his head.

Tollin said nothing but didn't avoid that hand either.

“Everything you say is right. I am a selfish old man who knows nothing.”

Even though they were words he spat out, Tollin flinched his shoulders unknowingly when the Duke spoke blame directed at himself.

“I knew nothing until I reached this age. What I should protect, and how I should protect it. I lived knowing nothing. So as soon as I was cornered, I used death as a refuge and ran away. I left all burdens to you.”

The Duke's hand patted Tollin's head very slowly.

“I am really sorry.”

The wrinkled corners of Duke Piteos's eyes folded.

Tollin, who was quietly listening to his words, raised his head.

“Still, you won't run away from here. Right?”

The Duke nodded.

“What I want to protect right now isn't that man, nor the Emperor. It's my family. For that, that man must live.”

Tollin looked into his unwavering eyes and looked up.

It's always like this.

Agoni Piteos is honest, upright, and stubborn to a frustrating degree.

Because he was such a person, it was also himself who followed him.

Pop!

From above the ceiling, the roar created by the 2nd Prince and Ratel was ringing.

His words were right.

Anyway, if we avoid it like this, the Piteos family is finished.

Because groveling and catering to the Imperial Family's mood is now impossible.

Since we touched the Imperial Family, there is no way we can live in the Abalan Empire.

Even if we abandon everything and run away now, how long can we live as fugitives?

That wouldn't be a happy choice for either the Little Duke or himself.

Boom!

Once again, a loud collapsing sound and vibration created by someone falling rang out.

Tollin listened blankly to the noise of destruction and thought.

Who in this Abalan would dare to pick a fight head-on with the Imperial Family?

His heart boiled.

Even when the Duke was executed, even when he was insulted by that, even when the Little Duke was kidnapped, there wasn't much he could do.

He bowed his head, asked for forgiveness, and begged.

Even so, he was anxious, lonely, and afraid.

That must be because he knew that what he was doing was no different from bowing his head under a crumbling dam and begging for the water not to overflow.

Tollin looked at Duke Piteos with shaking eyes.

The Duke, who was talking about opening a new water channel to him who suggested avoiding the flood, was staring at him without urging anymore.

Tollin squeezed his eyes shut and opened them.

“I…… will go to save the Little Duke. And if I survive, I will try to come up with a way to escape.”

Before the Duke could answer, he quickly continued.

“Since that crazy man made the priests and knights into blood cakes below the tower, people will crowd in before long anyway. Just saying that Prince Dito is being attacked by a ruffian should be enough for other Imperial Family members to gather.”

Returning to his usual picky voice, Tollin said.

The Duke's expression brightened.

“Flinn went down below. He might be wandering dangerously inside the Capital. Please protect that child.”

“That has always been my job since the day the Little Duke was born. I am confident.”

Tollin went back down the stairs he had come down, avoiding the debris falling from the ceiling.

Although it was practically returning empty-handed on the path he came, it didn't feel futile.

His steps were light.

***

Duke Piteos couldn't watch Tollin running out for long.

Boom!!!

Along with a roar, the roof of the tower collapsed.

Duke Piteos, who threw his body to avoid the suddenly collapsing roof, looked at a person standing in the dust.

Is it Ratel, or Prince Dito?

The hair revealed as the dust settled was, despairingly, platinum blond.

***

“Is this all? You said you would take everything?”

The Duke stared blankly at Dito, who was giggling and laughing like an excited child amidst the dusty wind.

Did Ratel lose?

This suddenly?

Why was he, who was taking the upper hand even just a little bit until a moment ago, defeated so powerlessly all of a sudden?

Instead of racking his brain meaninglessly, he raised his body and ran to do what he could right now.

The Duke grabbed Ratel's fallen body and rolled.

Dito's sword grazed Ratel's hair and stuck into the floor.

The sword pierced the rock floor as if a fruit knife were piercing a soft peach.

“Ah, come to think of it, that guy saved your son. You two must be close.”

Dito's gaze, which became even more relaxed, fixed on the Duke.

The Duke felt himself unable to move his body like a mouse in front of a cat.

Dito was laughing convulsively as if he couldn't control the overflowing power in his body.

Something changed.

He was different from the simply strong and beautiful him.

He was more bizarre and damp.

“Leave the son in my hands, Duke. I will make him face the most painful end.”

His finger pointed exactly at the Duke's heart.

“In appreciation of your hard work meanwhile, I will specially kill you at once.”

He laughed as if enjoying the Duke's eyes being dyed with fear.

“Bullshit.”

Along with the voice that was disrespectful whenever heard, light grazed past the Duke's ear.

That which was shot aiming for both of Dito's eyes barely grazed Dito's cheek and passed.

The Duke looked back.

“Cough!”

He saw Ratel, who vomited a handful of blood, raising his body.

Looks like he's still alive though.

“Hey, if you come to your senses, get up quickly. I am no match for the Prince.”

At the Duke's urging, Ratel slowly raised his body and grabbed the sword again.

“Something to be proud of.”

He didn't forget to say a word.

But perhaps his body wasn't fully healed unlike his cheeky tone, he spat out blood once more.

“Even for you, it seems there's no helping it if your internal organs are burned?”

Dito giggled and laughed.

Whether it was a curse or a blessing, his body was diligently healing the hole in his stomach.

Watching the wound filling up disgustingly fast, the Duke clenched his fist tightly.

Ratel clutched the wound on his chest and stood up.

“As expected, you can't beat me.”

Looking at Dito muttering happily, Ratel opened his mouth.

“What did you eat?”

“What used to be my older brother. No, since it was originally mine, what I got back?”

Dito, who was gibbering as if his mind was sold elsewhere, raised his sword again as if such things didn't matter anymore.

“No need to know more. Since you'll die soon anyway.”

Suddenly stopping his laughter, he shot fire once again at Ratel's healing wound.

It was too fast.

Unlike before, that speed which couldn't even be followed with eyes didn't even give the Duke a chance to try blocking.

At the attack gouging out the unhealed wound, Ratel vomited blood again with a surge and fell backward.

“Since it was such good material, I wanted to keep you alive, but it can't be helped. You are too dangerous.”

Dito raised his hand and aimed at Ratel's arm this time, shooting fire like an arrow.

Since it wasn't a great force this time, the Duke was barely able to change its trajectory.

It was clear that it was nothing more than playing with hands for Dito.

When the Duke, who blocked one attack, came to his senses, it was after Ratel and the Duke were already trapped in a prison of fire made of a hexahedron.

Watching Ratel and the Duke who ended up trapped inside a box where six sides were made of flames, Dito clenched his fist.

Then the empty inside began to fill with flames.

The fire was tightening around them.

It felt like they would melt in the heat of the flames.

This cannot be stopped.

Even in the heat, Agoni Piteos's face turned white as if drained of blood.

With his power, he couldn't shake off this prison of fire.

Before their power, he was always powerless.

If God commands death, to whom should we pray?

A shadow cast over the Duke who closed his eyes and was only waiting for death.

“Stop it.”

At the familiar voice heard subsequently, Duke Piteos raised his head.

As he, who was standing by the window with his back to the moonlight, leaned his body into the tower, the flames burning the inside revealed the face that had been hidden by the shadow.

“7th Prince…….”

Agoni Piteos muttered unknowingly.

It was the 7th Prince, Ran Abalan.

The black-haired Prince, who was the start of everything, was looking at Dito with eyes firmer than what he had seen at the last moment at the cliff.

Although it was an uncool appearance, barely spitting out uneven breaths that had risen to his chin and sweating profusely.