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98. Beggar Siblings – Rutina Castle

Leo and sixty knights headed towards the northern gate of Rutina.

The Third Knight Commander, accompanying them, showed his token to the guard at the city gate and instructed, “We’re on our way to conduct a surprise inspection of the south gate’s defenses. A formal notice will arrive tomorrow, so do not report anything.”

The soldiers at the north gate chuckled, anticipating that the south gate’s soldiers would soon be in for a rough time, as the knights stepped outside.

They temporarily waited at a broken guard post before entering, confirming two blue lines soaring up into the dark sky.

Upon opening the hidden latch door beneath the guard post, a square corridor that was somewhat cramped for two people walking side by side was revealed.

Here lay the secret passage leading to the royal castle.

The existence of these secret corridors extending in all four directions was known only to a few figures in the Yeriel royal family and the royal knights, and the corridor chosen by Leo was located to the north.

Ten knights were assigned to each of the three other corridors, while the remaining forty out of the hundred and thirty knights headed toward the castle’s main and back gates. Just in case Prince Eric tried to escape.

The knights took turns entering the passage, hastening their steps as they cleared the dampness and darkness with their torches.

But then,

“Wait. Stop.”

Leo, leading the way, briefly halted and lowered his head.

‘Why is this growing here?’

In the dim light, he nearly missed it, but he felt something soft underfoot on the solid floor, prompting his attention. As he brushed the floor with his toes, the problematic black plant was pushed aside, revealing the stone floor beneath.

It was Dub.

According to the information from {Rules of the Back Alleys}, Dub was a type of moss that spreads thinly over the ground.

This black plant, also known as the “death row inmate’s blanket,” was mostly found in prisons. Strangely enough, it would rapidly grow in the cells of prisoners slated for execution, instilling fear in countless death row inmates.

It could also appear near the sick or elderly people nearing death, but because it required moist ground that wasn’t wet, it wasn’t commonly seen.

So, the fact that this plant had grown here… implied that something had died.

“What is it?”

“…Nothing. Let’s hurry.”

Leo straightened his tilted head.

‘Did a rat come in and die here?’ ‘Then where’s the corpse?’ etc., questions arose, but there was no time to fuss over such trivial matters. Bart and Hazen had already stormed the Duke’s estate, so we needed to keep pace.

They advanced again down the passageway. The sound of dozens of footsteps echoed.

Along the secret passage were occasional forks in the road. However, these were intended to confuse those pursuing them on the way out, so all they had to do was choose the direction closest to going straight.

Moreover, with the commander of the royal guards right beside them, their steps were unhindered.

After a while of walking, Leo and the knights gradually slowed their pace. The commander of the royal guards requested silence.

As they walked quietly for a moment…

“We’re almost there.”

The passage continued on, and although a turn was visible in the distance, the commander halted his steps.

He drew his sword and tapped the ceiling, “Knock, knock.”

“A!”

In the ceiling, a door made of metal painted the same color as the surrounding stone was hanging. One could easily pass by without noticing it, running along this dark, monotonous passageway, but now they had pinpointed that blind spot.

The door creaked open, and a rope ladder tumbled down.

“I’ll go up first. Your Highness, please come up as slowly as possible.”

The commander of the royal guards said apologetically. This was only natural, as those who go up first are often regarded as the brave.

Leo shrugged and let him go ahead, going up as the twentieth.

‘It’s taller than I expected?’

The knights, having jumped up in an instant, made it seem like it wasn’t high, but the rungs of the ladder were quite long. Just as he was getting a bit out of breath, someone called out, “Your Highness. Grab hold.” Leo reached out, grabbing someone’s hand and pulled himself up.

[ Achievement: First Entry into the Royal Castle – You will become stronger in the royal castle. ]

This was a room with a door on the floor. It was usually covered by a thick mat, which had been pushed aside, and the rope that opened the door below dangled from the passage they just climbed.

“A storage room… perhaps?”

“Yes, it’s a place where miscellaneous items used for annual events are kept.”

The royal knight, Brook, whom Leo had brought along, replied.

Leo and the knights waited for the others to join them before spilling outside.

So it is a royal castle after all.

Even in the dead of night, oil lamps hung in the outer corridors of the castle, burning luxurious oil that didn’t emit a smell.

“Where’s Prince Eric’s room?”

Leo confirmed that {Tracking Skill} was pointing upward and urged the knights to quicken their pace.

They ascended the stairs and entered a hall, which seemed to be some sort of salon, with low tables and chairs scattered about.

Indeed, it was luxurious. The lamp oil from before was nothing in comparison.

The plush purple carpet cushioned their feet, the display case reaching all the way up to the high ceiling was decorated so elaborately one wondered how they managed to put decor up there, and chandeliers with so many, hundreds of crystals hanging from them that one could mistake them for raindrops…

And the walls, which were likely built of brick, were beautifully adorned with exotic wood. This was no ordinary wood; they were high-end, repeatedly treated and dried with the fragrant resin called ambergris.

Whales existed in the seas of this world as well. Here, they were called balaena, and the value of that mammal was so immense that whaling industries flourished in ports of every kingdom bordering the sea. Balaena’s flesh was regarded as delicacy with its soft sweet taste and tender texture, while its waterproof skin was tough and beautifully waved, used as the finest fabric material.

It was difficult to pinpoint a specific color. Some appeared blue, others white. The red uniform Leo previously wore, sent by Marquis Tatian, was indeed made from balaena’s leather.

In any case, there was no wasted part of that creature’s corpse. The large salivary glands of the balaena were particularly prized. They produced ambergris, which burned without catching fire while releasing a faint fragrance.

Ambergris had various uses. However, it was typically used for treating wood, which would skyrocket in value and be exchanged for storybook prices.

The expensive wood meant for making fine furniture was instead used here in the Rutina Castle merely for wall decoration.

Furthermore, the wood was inlaid with metals like gold, silver, and copper, forming an exquisite design, and the fresh flowers placed in the salon bloomed brightly even in winter, filling the air with their fragrance.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t cold here. A warmth that felt like entering a greenhouse enveloped Leo and the knights.

“Commander of the Royal Guards? What brings you here at this hour… No!”

“Quinton, don’t act recklessly.”

At that moment, a knight guarding the large hall named Quinton recognized the swarm of knights entering and shouted. His cry echoed through the hall.

Sensing the impending crisis, he pulled out a red whistle to his mouth. If he blew this, not only would all the royal knights and servants wake up, but the castle guards would also immediately mobilize.

“Quinton! Wait! This isn’t treason!”

“Do you really think that such an excuse would suffice after bringing knights into the castle at this late hour…?”

– Clang!

Quinton froze. The whistle he dropped tumbled and rolled down the black granite stairs.

He stared in shock at the young man standing next to the commander of the royal guards.

Leo stepped forward.

“Quinton, was it? Step aside. I understand your position, but I don’t wish to spill innocent blood.”

“Wait, what? How could this…? You’re alive…?”

“Yes. I’m alive. So, will you clear the way? Or do you intend to stop me?”

The commander of the royal guards retrieved the fallen whistle and politely joined his hands.

He understood Quinton’s feelings of embarrassment. Our royal knights had committed a trespass against Prince Leo.

Excluding those who had fled to protect Prince Leo, the remaining knights had committed acts that could arguably be considered betrayal.

In a moment of urgency when the castle was under attack, they couldn’t muster the courage and used the excuse that “royal knights shouldn’t intervene in a conflict between heirs” to avoid aiding the prince.

The political situation had already shifted to Eric. No matter how much they struggled to save him, nothing would change.

For royal knights, protecting the king was the priority…

Hence, only knight factions serving Prince Leo, like Bart, and a few spirited individuals like Barin fled, while we stayed behind.

We brazenly survived.

“I… I…”

Quinton couldn’t lift his head. Avoiding the prince’s gaze, he seemed to wish to hide in a mouse hole as he swept his eyes across the floor.

“…I’ll step aside.”

He descended the staircase at the doorway and knelt, clearing the way.

Letting knights into the palace without the king’s permission was something the royal knights should resolutely prevent, but Quinton could not endure the guilt he felt. Moreover, he could not plead for forgiveness now, so quietly letting them pass was his best course of action.

“Thank you, Quinton.”

The prince walked up the stairs steadily. Even after all the knights had entered, Quinton remained knelt for a long while.

Similar incidents occurred repeatedly, where knights encountered guards at each transition between halls, and most of them displayed similar reactions. Upon seeing Leo, they were engulfed in guilt, unsure of what to do, then quietly cleared the way.

However, they couldn’t continue that way indefinitely. As the commander of the royal guards passed by a hall, he spoke up.

“Your Highness, we’re nearing Prince Eric’s room. From here, the guards who serve him will be on duty. They likely won’t let you pass.”

“How far is it to Prince Eric’s room?”

“We need to go through one more hall and ascend the stairs. What will you do?”

“…We’ll break through. It’s already a stroke of luck to have come this far quietly.”

At Leo’s decision, the knights drew their swords. The sound of swords ringing echoed as they gleamed sharply in the chandelier light.

“Let’s go!”

“What the…!”

The knights burst through the door and dashed inside.

A guard stationed in the hall jumped in fright and blew the subdued whistle forcefully. Instantly, a commotion erupted. Everyone associated with the castle started waking up, running around chaotically.

Through the window below, they could see guards hurrying into the garden.

And then,

“What’s that?”

Leo pointed to the mist rising in the air. The fog, starting to settle on the ceiling, seeped through the chandeliers and spread everywhere.

The commander of the royal guards answered.

“A sorcerer has awakened. That’s a spell called ‘cloud eye.’ I mentioned it before, didn’t I? The sorcerer can see under that cloud. Soldiers will be rushing in here, so we must hurry.”

Leo nodded and sprinted up the stairs, following the knights.

Magic.

Leo didn’t know much about sorcerers or magic, except what he’d learned through {Noble Society} information.

They were truly rare beings, and even more reclusive. Always holed up in their rooms, making it hard to interact, and one would have to request a meeting at the ‘Magic Tower’ where they gathered to study magic. There are five magic towers scattered across this continent…

“What in the world is going on!”

At that moment, Prince Eric de Yeriel’s booming voice rang out. Leo hurriedly stepped onto the staircase drenched in the blood of the royal knights.

[ Achievement: Meeting Eric de Yeriel – Weak favor gained from all nobles serving the Yeriel royal family. Weak favor gained from Eric de Yeriel. ]

Prince Eric de Yeriel’s room, while inside the castle, was isolated from the adjacent rooms, accessible only through the stairs just climbed.

The room protruded a bit from the main castle, with numerous windows facing south and east. The furious prince stood by the window, glaring at the knights who had barged in.

He was fully dressed even at this late hour, as if he had planned to step outside…

Only then did Leo understand why the knights had recognized him so easily. Starting with Bart, every knight had remarked about how much he resembled the king, but it turned out they had been kind enough to phrase it differently to spare his feelings.

Prince Eric bore an uncanny resemblance to Leo. He was taller, his eyes were not golden, and although they shared the same blond hair, his hair had brown undertones mixed with the blue that symbolized the main line of the Yeriel royal family rather than being purely blue.

However, their expressions were entirely different. Unlike the gentle and soft Leo, Eric exuded a sharp and cold demeanor.

His striking black eyes, which appeared almost irritable, locked onto Leo.

“Well… you’re alive.”

“Should I say it’s been a while, Eric de Yeriel?”

As Leo stepped forward, the knights who had pointed their swords at Prince Eric took a half-step back. Leo savored a jolt of accomplishment. The long journey was drawing to an end.

Now to kill this guy, and announce that the rightful heir has returned. My sister shall live as a princess, enjoying a life of abundance without lack…

Eric de Yeriel muttered, looking quite annoyed.

“So that’s why the knights stormed the Duke’s estate…”

But the displeasing expression quickly faded. He scrutinized Leo from head to toe and sneered.

Sword, all clear.

Rings, necklace, bracelets… none.

What an idiot.

“Hahaha! I’m glad to see my little brother again!”

Eric’s eyes suddenly flashed red, and something rushed past Leo.

“How about it? Surely, you don’t think of killing your big brother… oh no?”

Suddenly the friendly pretense faded from Eric’s face, replaced with a look of shock, but Leo also paled at what had just swept past him.

A grotesque bovine skull floated like an apparition.

Seventeen horns sprouting randomly, the skull appeared to be melted enough to show sparse bones.

Rotting blood sloshed in its eye sockets as those dead eyes turned towards Leo. In that instant, confronting that chilling gaze made Leo gag.

As if he had caught a whiff of a putrid stench.

 

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