The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 106

“Estella? The princess has returned with him?”

“…Yes.”

For a moment, Maurice was gripped by the fear that this sudden appearance of an heir could cost him the throne, but that anxiety was quickly replaced by the news of his niece’s survival. Maurice bit down on his lip.

Estella, taken by the barbarians of Calis, had entered the palace…

What should he do about this? One of them was a boy who should have died long ago, and the other was nothing more than a bargaining chip that Pantege had once valued at a high price.

Maurice, hurriedly throwing on a robe, twisted his lips. “Where was the Pantege knight commander while those children passed through the gates?”

The captain of the royal guard hesitated. His expression made it clear he didn’t even know where to begin.

Though knights from Pantege were stationed here in small numbers, they had never been granted authority over palace entry and exit.

Besides, those men, who had claimed it was their rest period due to the queen of Largo’s funeral, had no such authority to begin with. The captain clicked his tongue in secret. And who were the ones attempting to pass through the gates?

“The Pantege knights are resting in the royal guest chambers Your Majesty arranged. And since the identities of the prince and princess were confirmed, we had no reason to stop them.”

“What did you say?”

“They are rightful members of this palace.”

In the midst of hastily fastening his robe, King Maurice paused and stared at the captain.

What was that insolent man’s name again? He couldn’t recall, but he was well aware of the ongoing discord between the Pantege knights and Largo’s palace guards.

Maurice had never stepped in to mediate their disputes, and on days when fistfights broke out, he naturally took the side of Pantege. Given his lack of legitimacy, it was only natural that he had failed to earn the trust of the Largo knights.

Foolishly unaware of how deeply that rift had grown, Maurice clicked his tongue toward the captain, whom he planned to deal with before the day was out, and asked:

“Where did you say my niece and nephew are now?”

“They are crossing the inner courtyard, headed to the main palace.”

“Good. Call the knights immediately.”

“…Pardon?”

King Maurice snapped irritably as if he hadn’t heard clearly. “I am going to meet my niece and nephew, so summon the Pantege knights from the guest chambers!”

The captain couldn’t find words. It wasn’t even an ambush from an enemy, yet the king was in such a panic. And to ask for the Pantege knights as his escort—it was beyond disgraceful.

Even amid the chaos, Maurice didn’t forget to place the crown on his disheveled head—a man pathologically obsessed with the throne.

Narrowing his eyes, the captain remained silent for a few seconds, then quietly nodded. “As you command.”

Draped in a ceremonial cape, Maurice stepped down the stone floor lined with a red carpet.

The summoned Pantege knights followed behind the king, and behind them walked the royal guards of Largo, led by the captain.

With a loud creak, the doors of the main palace opened, and Maurice stepped out somewhat clumsily. Stopping at the top of the grand stairs, he looked down into the inner courtyard.

“So it really was true…”

Maurice murmured like a man who had just seen a ghost.

Queen Aliana’s funeral was well underway. As nobles from all over Largo had gathered to pay their respects to a member of the royal family, a pair of golden-haired siblings walked through the crowd.

The courtyard, full of mourners, fell into a stunned silence at their sudden appearance. Understandably so—those golden locks that shimmered transparently in the light were the defining trait of the direct line of the Lassa royal family.

Though rare, there were those who had seen Stella at palace banquets before. With her unforgettable beauty, it was no surprise that people recognized her instantly.

Naturally, the nobles’ attention shifted to the young man walking in front, holding Stella’s hand. Gasps of astonishment erupted from all sides.

“My goodness… unless my eyes deceive me, that must be…”

“That’s definitely His Highness the Prince. Doesn’t he look just like the late king?”

Someone murmured as if they had been waiting for this moment. It was none other than Count Bruno, who had secretly aided Alexio’s return to the palace.

“It’s certain. Prince Alexio has returned. And not alone—he’s brought back the missing princess.”

“We had been lamenting their gravestones placed side by side… What joyous news this is.”

One by one, voices joined in—some were childhood friends of Alexio, others had been close aides to the late king.

The long line of mourners moved like waves parting. Stella followed her brother across the courtyard, doing her best not to appear hesitant.

Curious glances and murmurs poured in relentlessly, but the siblings did not stop. They waved to no one, acknowledged no one.

With Stella’s hand in his grasp, Alexio pushed through the murmuring crowd and finally stood in the center of the busiest part of the courtyard.

He quietly looked up at Maurice, who stood on the stairs leading to the main palace. In his deep green eyes, anger rippled like a gentle tide.

“It has been a long time.”

Alexio spoke each word slowly, as if chewing on them.

“Uncle.”

“…So it was true.”

Maurice, who had stood with his mouth agape at the unbelievable sight, responded.

“My nephew and niece, whom I believed dead…”

“Do you find it moving that we returned side by side on the same day?”

Alexio cut off his uncle’s hollow remarks without hesitation, mocking him. He then shifted his gaze to the Pantege knights standing at Maurice’s side. The instant of silence was enough to silence the murmuring and draw everyone’s attention.

“Or are you so afraid that you’ve brought along knights who aren’t even under your own command?”

As Alexio openly revealed his hostility, Stella swallowed dryly. Seeing her uncle’s face—once the stuff of her childhood nightmares—contort in an instant made her tremble to her fingertips.

Still, she stood firm, staring him down. She was the one who insisted on being here rather than fleeing to safety. She could not show fear now.

Maurice furrowed his brow, and the commander of the Pantege knights whispered something in his ear. The king then narrowed his eyes slightly and steadied his voice.

“If only you had sent word in advance, I could have prepared a lavish welcome. If you were alive and well, why didn’t you send news instead of pretending you were both dead?”

“To preserve our lives.”

“…What did you say?”

“And because we couldn’t ignore the pirate-infested western coast of Largo.”

Alexio’s clipped words sliced through the silence.

“Even now, it’s the same. As the rightful heir to the throne, I cannot sit idly by while the kingdom’s security is under threat.”

Even after hearing such blatant accusations, Maurice merely blinked. A few seconds passed before his face went pale. His clenched fists began to tremble.

“You insolent brat! Your mother just died in a tragic accident. Are you trying to spill blood before her memorial rites are even held?”

“Why are you so outraged? I merely spoke what is expected of the heir to the throne.”

Alexio’s green eyes gleamed.

“So step down.”

“……”

“Shouldn’t you at least greet your nephew face to face?”

Everyone present could immediately grasp the layered meaning in Alexio’s words.

Maurice was itching to explode. And yet, of all times, the entire kingdom had gathered to watch. How was he supposed to get out of this?

“He’s a pretty, delicate boy.”

A Pantege knight leaned in and whispered in Maurice’s ear.

“For now, it would be wise to take a step back and let him enter the court.”

“…I understand.”

Maurice let out a dry laugh. As the Pantege man had said, Alexio was a mere boy of barely twenty. Like his late father, he was too principled to dare draw a sword during a national mourning. If they coaxed him gently, he’d walk into the palace on his own.

More importantly, Maurice had Pantege behind him. As always, with the empire’s strength at his back, dealing with the prince could wait.

“Come now, don’t be like this. Let’s head into the court. Everyone seems quite distressed over your mother’s passing. Best to calm ourselves first and talk inside…”

As Maurice continued, Stella began gasping as if she had just surfaced from underwater. An intense, piercing pain had struck her mind.

“Your mother just died in a tragic accident.”

It was the moment Maurice uttered those words.

Stella saw an unmistakably vivid shadow flicker across her uncle’s face. As though someone had dumped a bucket of blood over it—it was a clear, crimson red.

Yes, it was a blatant lie.

“An accident… Are you certain my mother truly died in an accident?”

Stella asked in a soft, clear voice. At that moment, it felt as though every gaze in the courtyard turned to her.