The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 101

They planned to stay at the inn for another day.

Alexio, seeing his sister rescued from the abyss looking on the verge of starvation, placed a hearty meal before her. Stella silently watched him as he even tied back the curtains so the sunlight could pour in.

Her mind was tangled in threads of thought, her stomach churned despite having gone without food for a day. Still, she did not reject the warm meal before her. She forced herself to move the fork, pushing food into her mouth.

Perhaps it was because Alexio was watching her closely, or perhaps she simply wished to regain her strength as quickly as possible, so she diligently filled her stomach.

Though she felt as if she had been swept away by a sudden storm, she knew she had to keep herself grounded. She had to think desperately.

“I’ll be back soon, so wait here for a bit, Stella.”

After watching her for a while, Alexio, seeing the emptied plate, seemed reassured and pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning against. Stella looked up.

“…Where are you going?”

“There is someone begging to see you. Just wait for a moment.”

With those words, he strode out of the room. Stella blinked and let her gaze drift toward the window where he had stood moments ago.

Sunlight streamed in as if all the things she had seen and heard in the past had been a lie. The sound of morning birds singing and the gentle, fragrant breeze drifted in.

The fact that she had been willing to give her life for Islay, that he had let her go knowing it before she did, and that she had reunited with the brother she had thought dead—it was all too peaceful for such heavy truths.

Yet Stella knew well that the fate looming before her was not so bright.

‘Alexio will surely…’

Her brother would seek to reclaim the stolen throne, the seat that rightfully should have been his.

But could he so easily unseat his uncle, who was backed by Pantege? It would not be a simple battle, and she could not let Alexio face that mire alone.

Moreover, there was Islay, the man she had left behind in Calis—the man who had lost his will to live. She could not simply abandon him, either.

The moment she thought of him, a suffocating sorrow pressed against her chest, but Stella forced herself to endure it. She did not want to cry. Tears would not solve anything. Falling into the depths of helplessness would only make it harder to climb out.

If she wished to help both her blood brother and Islay, she had to carefully consider what was the best course of action in her current situation—and what she was capable of doing.

‘What I can do…’

Stella took a slow breath as she sat on the bed. Then, hearing a presence hesitating outside the door, she turned her head. There was no mistaking the light footsteps.

“…You can come in, Dora.”

At Stella’s words, Dora, who had been lingering outside, finally pushed the door open. The maid’s face, etched with guilt and worry, looked as though she had lost half her weight in mere days.

“Princess… hic.”

“……”

“I’m so sorry. I’m truly sorry…”

That dawn, Stella had been shocked—it would be a lie to say otherwise. But Dora had nothing to apologize for. It was because of her loyalty that she had gone against Stella’s wishes, even deceived her.

The spirited and ever-optimistic maid had always been a pillar of support. If Stella had left Largo and traveled to Calis alone, she would have crumbled like a sandcastle swallowed by the tide.

How could she possibly blame Dora? Watching her sobbing maid, Stella offered a faint smile.

“Come here.”

Only then did Dora break into full tears and rush toward her. Stella held her tightly.

“Don’t apologize. I was the one who tried to leave, placing such a heavy burden on you.”

“…Hic.”

“I have never once resented you.”

Alexio, who had followed Dora in, leaned against the window, silently observing his sister as she consoled the sobbing maid. He waited patiently for them to share this moment.

Once Dora had calmed down somewhat, Stella turned her gaze toward him. She had to ask about their next steps.

“After we leave the inn, are we heading straight to Largo?”

“Yes, we must.”

“May I ask… if you plan to attack the palace?”

Alexio crossed his arms and tapped his fingers against them before responding, “That place is our home, where the people of Largo reside. A siege is not our priority. But we will not enter unarmed, either.”

“……”

“Maurice is both a usurper and a criminal. There are countless suspicions against him, but we have a charge that justifies immediate execution. I intend to personally act as his judge and remove him from power.”

Stella nodded silently.

Their uncle had tried to kill Largo’s rightful heir when he was only eleven, all for the sake of a stolen crown. Now, with that heir returning alive, there was no room for excuses.

Yet, like creeping vines, an unease she could not shake remained within her.

“But Alex, the royal palace is occupied by knights from Pantege. Uncle stationed them there as part of the peace negotiations.”

“That’s why we won’t disarm. If he resists, he will surely call upon the Pantege knights for help. They might retreat, deeming it none of their concern, but there’s a high chance they’ll join the fight. So we must prepare for unavoidable combat.”

Unavoidable combat. Though she had anticipated it, her heart sank.

“We will position elite soldiers inside and outside the palace to maintain an ambush formation, ready to act at a moment’s notice…”

Alexio suddenly fell silent, studying Stella’s expression. She was anxiously picking at her fingertips, unable to focus her gaze.

He sighed. It was strange. He had never intended to reveal such detailed plans to the sister who still seemed so young to him.

“Stella, since we’re on the subject, I have a request.”

“…A request?”

“There’s a secret base outside the capital. It was once a villa owned by Count Bruno, who is now cooperating with me. I will assign Roderick and other knights to protect you. Would you stay there for the time being? Of course, your maid will stay with you.”

Count Bruno had once served the late king, only to be exiled when the regime changed. Stella vaguely remembered him and his son, the Young Count.

“The first few days will be the most intense once we move against our uncle. I’ll make sure it ends quickly, so it’s best if you return to the palace once things are settled.”

“But… I’m worried. If Pantege sends reinforcements…”

Stella bit her lower lip anxiously, her face paling.

“Yes, they might send an army to support our uncle. In exchange for handing me back to them.”

Despite the clear fear on her face, Stella’s judgment remained rational.

Even if Prince Hendrick Regan was obsessed with her, no matter how much he desired her, he would not send a large force on a whim. But the words he had spoken at the inn in Nortelli still weighed heavily on her mind.

“Did Grand Duke Peruno ever tell you what he plans to do once he finds that damned jewel?”

It was related to the divine oracle in Calis. Hendrick had spoken of an ancient jewel long thought irrelevant to breaking the curse.

“I’ve looked into everything! They will never let you go until they’ve sacrificed you! You are nothing but a sacrifice for his goal! So stop this foolishness and come with me immediately!”

How did Hendrick Regan even know about that?

A sacrifice for a purpose. Why was Hendrick so fixated on her fate?

“Stella, there isn’t a single knight in Largo who believes this won’t escalate into full-scale war with Pantege.”

Stella looked up at Alexio, startled.

“…What?”

“Have you forgotten? We haven’t even been independent from them for a hundred years. How could they possibly be friendly toward the nation they once ruled?”

“……”

“Besides, our uncle has dragged Pantege too deep into this. A former colonizer does not easily let go of its hold.”

Seeing his sister and her maid both pale with anxiety, Alexio walked over and poured a drink into an empty glass. Stella only stared at him instead of drinking.

“Is there… anything I can do? Even if it’s just a small way to help you?”

Though her face was as pale as porcelain, her voice carried resolve. Surprised, Alexio widened his eyes before giving her a bitter smile.

“Nothing.”

“But surely…”

“Truly, nothing. I did not go north seeking your help.”

To Alexio, it was obvious. He had left Haverport and was now returning to the capital to reclaim his birthright. When he heard that his sister was suffering in the North, he had turned without hesitation to ‘rescue’ her.

“Of course, this won’t be an easy fight. But know this: whatever happens, you will not be subjected to hardship.”

“……”

“We’ve been preparing for this for a long time. Even if we face Pantege’s knights, they won’t be harder to defeat than the abominations or the Northerners in Calis. So don’t worry too much… okay?”

If swords were drawn and battle broke out, Stella could not simply stand idle in the palace. She had no choice but to press her lips together, her eyes welling with tears.

Seeing her so dejected, Alexio sighed deeply.

“I didn’t want our reunion to be like this. I’m sorry.”

He whispered and gently embraced her, stroking her hair. The touch reminded Stella too much of the way Islay had often held her, and she bit her lip to stifle a sob.

Dora, who had remained by her side, held her breath.

The maid had been listening in terror to their conversation, her gaze darting between them. When she heard the words “Pantege’s reinforcements,” she lowered her eyes in deep thought.

It didn’t take long before a firm determination settled over her face. But the two siblings, lost in their own thoughts, failed to notice the change in her expression.