The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 131

With pale hands clutching the letter, Alexio finally let out a breath.

“Get a hold of yourself.”

Islay said that and turned toward the trembling attendant of Emperor Lorenzo, cowering in the corner. A hand hardened by the dried blood of countless victims seized the attendant’s silk robe and shook him roughly.

“Speak the truth. Was everything the emperor said true?”

“T-that is… yes, it is.”

The attendant, who had urged the emperor to surrender to preserve his own life, quickly responded.

“A few days ago, an urgent courier arrived from Grova. It was a mercenary who once worked at the second prince’s villa. He recognized the face of the Princess of Largo he had seen there and—augh!”

“Spare me the details.”

“Y-yes. He encountered the princess and the holy knights on the highway leading to the central region. He almost died at their hands but barely escaped and sent a letter to His Majesty reporting that he saw her.”

Holy knights. That meant the priest who had cared for Stella since she was young was aiding her. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate that she wasn’t traveling alone to Metlica, he couldn’t say.

‘There’s no time.’

The imperial knights that Emperor Lorenzo had dispatched must have departed a day or two ago.

If he ran at full speed from now, he might catch up somehow, but there were too many uncertainties. The last thing he could allow was for them to reach Stella even a minute before he did.

Hearing that his sister, who had even been under surveillance, had finally escaped the capital, Islay brushed past the frozen Alexio with a tap on his shoulder.

“I’ll go to Metlica. You take care of the situation here and catch up later.”

“…Wait, she’s my sister!”

Coming to his senses, Alexio turned around with a deeply furrowed face.

“I must go to Metlica immediately as well. If anything happens to Stella…”

“Didn’t you long for your country’s independence? If you started a war for it, you must finish it properly.”

With a cold reply, Islay pointed his chin toward the audience chamber doors.

“Besides, at your pace, you won’t arrive in time.”

Alexio’s face twisted. It wasn’t a jab at his physical impairment, but rather the fact that even Largo’s elite soldiers with all limbs intact couldn’t match the speed of a Calisian. It was true, and he couldn’t argue.

As he watched the man who rarely wavered now burn with blazing eyes, Alexio paused for a moment of thought.

This was a moment of great importance. As a monarch, he had to publicly declare the end of the long humiliation under Pantege and the restored peace.

He knew his duty. But it didn’t come before family. Alexio wanted to kick open the audience chamber doors and leap on horseback right then.

…If someone who cared for Stella more than his own life wasn’t already going to save her—

Then could he truly entrust her to that man?

‘Damn it. Stella, why would you do something like this…’

Cursing silently, something uncharacteristic of him, Alexio closed his eyes tightly.

His hesitation lasted only a moment. With a heart shredded to pieces, Alexio nodded.

“Please, Peruno. I’ll follow right after I take care of the imperial family’s sentencing and tie up the loose ends. Please go save Stella.”

“I swear, if anyone tries to harm even a single strand of your sister’s hair, I’ll cleave them in two right where they stand.”

With that, Islay and a small number of Calisians exited the audience chamber. Alexio cast a burning gaze of rage at Lorenzo’s severed head rolling on the marble floor.

“Raise the Largo flag over the walls.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

At last, the Largo banner, bearing twelve radiant golden rays, was raised throughout the imperial palace of Pantege. It was a clear symbol of victory, yet Alexio couldn’t quite bring himself to feel at ease.

***

At the break of faint dawn, Stella’s group packed up their sleeping bags and resumed their journey.

Since Gabriel was injured, it was hard to pick up speed, but they would be able to reach their destination safely in a few days.

Just as the map had shown. After crossing a bridge over a fast-flowing river and climbing a sloping hill, they arrived at a forest on a high plain—an area known as Metlica.

The first hour or two of walking was manageable. But the deeper they went into the uphill forest, the harder it became to move. Grass that had barely brushed their ankles was now knee-deep.

Pushing through the overgrown brush, Stella walked at the front, recalling the temple she had seen in her dream and the path leading to it. Thud. Something fell behind her, seizing her ankle.

Startled, Stella turned her head sharply—and saw the old priest sprawled out.

“Gabriel!”

“…I’m all right.”

With the help of a knight, the priest barely rose and waved a hand. But his unusually pale face told another story. The knight, expression clouded with concern, opened his mouth.

“It’s because of the injury, Your Highness.”

“The injury… from that encounter with the bandits, I suppose…”

“The priest had asked that this not reach Your Highness’s ears, but it seems the wound is worsening and becoming infected.”

Stella’s shocked gaze slid to Gabriel’s bandaged arm. Dark, crimson blood was beginning to seep through.

“W-we have to apply disinfectant medicine immediately.”

“We already used what we had. But it seems the effect doesn’t last long…”

“That means he needs to see a doctor, urgently.”

Understanding what the knight’s trailing words implied, Stella closed her eyes tightly, then opened them again. They were deep in enemy territory. Where could they possibly find a doctor out here?

The elderly priest, panting heavily, barely managed to rise.

“We mustn’t delay here.”

“No, please, don’t push yourself.”

“Didn’t you say that once we find the ancient relic, everything will return to its rightful place? Maybe its sacred energy will heal my wound…”

Gabriel, intentionally joking, broke into a fit of coughing mid-sentence. He then grasped the gauntlet of the priest helping to support him.

“If walking becomes truly impossible, I’ll let you know. Now, let’s go.”

“Gabriel…”

She tried to remain composed, but the corners of her lips wouldn’t stop trembling pitifully.

‘I should never have allowed a plan that pushed someone to such danger…’

Her throat tightened. With no choice, Stella continued walking, swallowing back her tears. Through the fog of her blurred vision, a familiar sight suddenly came into view—a half-crumbling stone pillar.

Pushing past the dense sacred trees, Stella moved forward as if possessed. One by one, the ruined columns emerged, and the ruins she had seen in her dream finally appeared before her eyes.

She shouted loudly, “Here! There should be a door nearby that leads to the underground temple!”

It resembled a burial chamber’s entrance and had been hidden under long mossy vines… As she hurried in search of the entrance, her face lit up.

“This way! My God, we’ve found the temple…! Over here…!”

A sound of someone collapsing again echoed from behind. Thinking Gabriel had fallen once more, Stella turned—and her eyes widened.

A long arrow was embedded in the priest’s shoulder where he had fallen forward.

“A-a surprise attack, Your Highness!”

The knight supporting the old priest swiftly raised his shield. Just before the rain of arrows began, a hand yanked Stella down beneath the shield, and she rolled to safety.

The sharp thunk of arrowheads piercing just above her head rang out fiercely. Gripped by overwhelming terror, she held Gabriel close and screamed.

“Enough! Now find the princess!”

At someone’s shout, the rain of arrows ceased, and armed attackers revealed themselves. Lions emblazoned on gleaming breastplates—these were knights of the Pantege Imperial Guard.

“Damn, there’s too many! You must flee at once!”

Even with a quick count, they outnumbered them by at least three or four times. Unlike the ragtag bandits, these were fully armed elite knights.

Just then, as the enemy charged with a battle cry, the Largo holy knights engaged. As blades clashed and sparks flew, Stella’s face, crouched on the ground, turned pale.

“Go!”

Gabriel, thought to be unconscious, pushed her back.

“F-Father…”

“Their target is you, Your Highness. We’ll hold them off as long as we can. Now go to the temple!”

No, no. I can’t stand this… Stella sobbed as she looked at Gabriel, who was bleeding.

But if she did nothing here, everyone—including the priest—would have died for nothing. And possibly even she herself.

She could never accept a meaningless sacrifice. Especially when Islay’s fate was tied to her own life.

Snapping back to her senses, Stella bolted toward the door leading underground. Horrific sounds clawed at her from behind, but she didn’t stop. With a glance back, she saw Gabriel clinging to a Pantege knight’s ankle before being kicked aside brutally.

She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Tears poured down endlessly.

Reaching the entrance, Stella began to push the massive stone door. The merciless door would not budge no matter how hard she tried.

“Please…! Just open already…!”

She rammed it with her head and shoulder, throwing her full weight into it. At last, she felt a slight decrease in resistance. Slowly, a narrow gap formed—just wide enough for her to slip through.

With all her might, she pushed and slipped inside. Thud. The heavy door shut with a ground-shaking sound.