The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 79

“However, Your Highness.”

“However?”

“…No, it’s nothing. I believe it would be better if you met them yourself.”

Alexio folded the letter he had read countless times and placed it in his upper pocket. The Queen of Largo’s seal at the end of the letter disappeared into the darkness.

Before long, a scout returned silently to the forest where Largo’s elite forces were stationed. He had been observing the Ice Castle, a place guarded more strictly than anywhere else. The scout was among Alexio’s most capable confidants, known for his unparalleled skill.

“Your Highness.”

The scout knelt on one knee to greet Alexio. Although he had sustained no serious injuries during his mission, as reported earlier, a faint crack appeared in Alexio’s composed expression.

“I sent two, yet only one returned. What happened?”

“I apologize.”

The scout’s voice trembled slightly as he delivered his report.

“Sir Roderick was captured by the Northerners guarding the castle’s perimeter. Fortunately, they didn’t detect my presence, but… it appears they may have been one of the ‘evolved’ Northerners we’ve only heard about in rumors.”

A wave of frustration swept over Alexio as he ran his fingers through his hair. Roderick, a knight renowned for his unparalleled stealth and prowess on the battlefield, had been captured. Even his skills hadn’t been enough to escape the sharp eyes and ears of the Northerners.

“After the wall explosion, the castle’s surveillance has intensified. My carelessness in approaching too closely was to blame. I deeply regret my mistake.”

“What is Roderick’s condition?”

“I… I do not know.”

The trembling soldier bowed his head low, his voice heavy with remorse. Alexio knelt, lowering himself to meet the scout’s gaze, and placed a comforting hand on his drooping shoulder.

“You bear no fault. Be grateful to God that at least one of you returned safely.”

The subordinate remained silent, his expression contorted with guilt. The other men, witnessing the exchange, swallowed their solemn breaths.

The elite force that had accompanied Alexio to Calis had once been stationed in Heverport, defending Largo’s coastline. Together, they had battled and ultimately subdued the treacherous pirates that plagued the region. Their camaraderie was forged in countless life-and-death encounters, even before Alexio’s voice had deepened with age.

Originally, their destination wasn’t Calis but the capital of Largo.

Having eradicated the coastal pirates that had long plagued Largo, the time had come for Alexio, who held a higher claim to the throne than his uncle Maurice, to ascend as king.

Leaving for Haverport at such a young age had not been Alexio’s choice. It had been the scheming command of his uncle, who coveted the throne, and during the journey, Alexio narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by knights accompanying him under the guise of an escort.

If not for the chance intervention of the territorial defense forces, the prince would have met a tragic end at the mere age of eleven.

Though his life was spared, Alexio’s path did not lead him back to the royal palace in Largo.

As the rightful heir tasked with protecting Largo, he could not turn a blind eye to the pirates threatening the nation’s security or to the warriors to whom he owed his life. Alexio remained in Haverport, choosing to live as a warrior safeguarding Largo’s borders.

Eight years had passed since then, flowing like the current of a river.

The prince was no longer a child, nor was he weak. Having dismantled the pirate fleet even at the cost of an irreparable injury, there was no better time to begin the journey back to reclaim his role as king.

And yet, what had he received? A letter from his mother, pleading for him to rescue his sister, who had been taken to Calis.

Recalling the harrowing moments of his past, Alexio squeezed his eyes shut tightly.

‘Estella…’

She had been kidnapped by the ruler of Calis.

Little was known about the man called the Grand Duke of Peruno in the southern continent. Rumors described him as a cruel leader with a monstrous retinue, a man obsessed with jewels to an eerie degree.

The thought of his cherished younger sister, who he hadn’t held in years, being in the hands of such a man was enough to dry his throat.

The Queen’s letter urged him to act swiftly before Estella could be “defiled.” While Alexio agreed on the urgency of her rescue, the phrasing revealed his mother’s priorities. He couldn’t help but recall the hardships Stella had endured as she came of age in the royal palace.

Without hesitation, Alexio postponed his return and redirected his path.

Even without the Queen’s letter, he would have made the same decision upon hearing of Estella’s peril. His sole purpose was to rescue her. Accompanied by a select group of trusted confidants adept at stealth, he reached Calis.

“However, Your Highness, our proximity to the castle has yielded some valuable insights.”

The subordinate who had been bowing his head now looked up.

“What insights?”

“We discovered a location worth attempting infiltration. There’s an ice lake just outside the walls that appears to lead directly into the castle’s interior.”

It was a report filled with hope. Alexio narrowed his eyes.

“Were there any encounters with ‘monsters’ near the lake?”

“No, Your Highness. The terrain is naturally treacherous, and the Northerners have thoroughly cleared the area. We encountered none.”

No monsters, one of their greatest concerns, were present. That alone made the plan worth considering.

Since arriving in Calis, they had been scouting the Ice Castle, looking for a way in. However, strange monsters had begun swarming the area recently. The only reason they had managed to kill a few without sustaining serious injuries was the exceptional skill of the soldiers.

But their numbers were overwhelming, and all the monsters seemed to be drawn toward the Ice Castle, as if lured by something. While puzzling over this oddity, the seemingly impenetrable castle wall suddenly collapsed.

Alexio had quickly sent scouts, including Roderick, to investigate, but the enemy had restored the breach so swiftly that infiltration was impossible.

And now, to hear that there was a hidden path leading to the inner castle? No matter how he considered it, this was their only chance.

Of course, reaching the lake was no easy task. The terrain was treacherous, and the northern patrols could not be underestimated. Even if they miraculously passed the walls, a confrontation with the guards was inevitable.

Still, doing nothing was not an option. Alexio and his elite forces had already braced themselves for armed conflict.

“Pack your gear.”

After a brief deliberation, Alexio issued his command.

“We’ll set up near the lake and wait for our chance.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

As his subordinates bustled about, Alexio cast a somber glance in the direction of the Ice Castle.

Until recently, he had been certain Estella was safe. But with each passing day, that belief began to waver.

Was it just baseless worry? Or was it an intuition shared between siblings who carried the same fate as Largo?

The one small consolation was that Roderick, part of the infiltration team, carried the prince’s necklace.

It was an identical piece to the one Estella owned, a pendant containing her portrait from her youth. If Roderick had managed to survive inside the castle, could it perhaps serve some purpose?

For now, there was no way to know.

***

Like paint spreading softly across paper, Stella, who had been sound asleep, suddenly woke up.

It was a dimly lit time, somewhere on the indistinct border between night and dawn.

‘It’s not time to wake up yet…’

Stella slowly blinked her heavy eyelids. Ever since spending her nights in Islay’s tower, she had been sleeping deeply without waking in the middle of the night.

Staring at the empty air above, she turned her head toward the spot beside her. The reassuring warmth that had held her all night was gone, and Islay was nowhere to be seen on the rumpled sheets.

“Islay?”

The crackling sound of the fireplace filled the silence. Just then, a faint shadow flickered beyond the translucent canopy surrounding the bed.

Did I imagine it? Stella rubbed her eyes and propped herself up.

“Is that you?”

There was no response. Blinking, she draped a robe over her flushed body and stepped out of the bed.

The quiet bedroom was empty. It was strange—Islay wasn’t the kind of person who would leave her alone like this.

Adjusting the lapels of her robe, Stella headed toward the adjoining room. From inside, she could feel the unmistakable presence of someone, undoubtedly him.