219. Beggar Siblings - It's a Pretty Necklace.
"Nngh," Leo stretched.
He glanced back, sensing that a lot of ti had passed by the lted candles, and saw the Azure Moon high in the stifling night sky outside the window. Lena was still diligently working on the paperwork, while Leo had already moved the piles of docunts onto the table.
Thanks to the siblings working together, the mountain of docunts was split into two piles: approved and unapproved. The latter still held the majority.
"Lena, aren't you sleepy?"
"Not yet."
There's no way my sister would be. Leo unconsciously asked, "Why?" and imdiately regretted it.
"I slept during the day."
"...Reversing your sleep schedule is bad for your health. Let's stop here for today."
His sister quietly nodded. She leaned back on the sofa, indicating she would finish reading what she had in her hands, and Leo picked up his teacup. Just as he sipped, Lena spoke.
"Hmm... Brother, Prince Eric did a better job than I expected."
"He did."
It seems Lena had noticed too.
While working through the paperwork, they frequently encountered traces of forr Prince Eric. His work was tidy, with simple vocabulary and concise sentences. The logical structure of each docunt was consistent, making them easy to read and leaving no room for misunderstanding. His handwriting was also elegant, making the docunts pleasant to look at.
Leo couldn't help but acknowledge that Prince Eric had governed the kingdom quite well, regardless of his being an apostle of the Evil God.
Well, that's that.
Leo read the last docunt Lena handed him ─ a subsidy for the uniforms of the Lutetia guards ─ and placed his approval signature next to Prince Eric's. With that, their work for the day was finished.
His sister, now idle, seed lost in thought again.
Having slept only two hours the previous night, Leo longed for sleep, but he took his sister's hand.
"Why?"
"Just. Want to take a walk?"
"No. I'm sick of the garden. Unlike your room, my window only overlooks the garden. I don't even want to go down there."
"Not the garden."
Leo took Lena on a walk through the quiet royal castle. He instructed the maids following them to stay twenty steps behind and personally guided his sister.
They admired the statues of past kings in the 'Hall of Glory' and the magnificent mythological stories painted on the round ceiling and walls of the 'Hall of Silence'. They naturally passed by the stairs leading to the first-floor banquet hall, occasionally greeting the guards on duty as they made their way to the 'Hall of Peace'. While chatting, Lena asked,
"Brother, why was the harbor construction canceled? You know, the one in the southeast."
"It seed like Prince Eric wanted to tax the Marquis of Arne. Other than that, there didn't seem to be a reason."
"Really? But if it were , I wouldn't cancel it. Even if I did, not so unilaterally."
"Unilaterally?"
"Everyone over there must know about it. Many people are probably expecting it, especially since it's not far from the 'Iber Tower'."
"True... but there are other things to be done with that budget. I'm planning to build schools nationwide. It's a promise I made with Cardinal Verke."
"What's a school?"
Leo recounted his conversation with Cardinal Verke. Lena asked, "Why educate the common people? It's a waste," but eventually agreed.
"Do as you wish. But I still think completely canceling the harbor project isn't a good idea. If funds are tight, reduce the scale. There's no benefit in falling out with the Tower."
"I'll do that. I'll... no, Lystad!"
"Lystad. Present. Doroff at your service. It’s troubleso when even the prince calls."
A wizard, working sowhere under a contract with the royal family, appeared out of thin air. He was supposed to die upon facing Oriax, but thanks to Leo's warning, he survived.
"Long ti no see, Uncle Lystad."
"How have you been, Princess? But why summon at this late hour, Prince?"
"Contact the Iber Tower. There's been a change of plans... The cancellation will be rescinded, but the scale will be slightly reduced."
"You seem to think all wizards are friends, but I’m from the Cornel Tower. Just send an official letter."
"I suppose. But since the cancellation notice has already gone out, they might be upset. Could you handle it for a smoother process?"
"I only signed a contract to guard the palace, not for such tasks..."
"Please, Uncle."
With a reluctant sigh, the wizard acquiesced when the princess clasped her hands together in a plea. "Very well. This will be the last ti. Anything else?" Pop! He disappeared into thin air. Leo felt like he had narrowly avoided a major issue.
I'll suggest to Cardinal Verke to start by training teachers. That should buy so ti.
After Lystad vanished, Leo and Lena arrived at the 'Hall of Peace'. Their steps halted where portraits of past queens lined the walls.
Ainass de Yeriel.
There was no statue of their father in the Hall of Glory earlier. Since only the deceased are honored, their mother’s portrait hung in the Hall of Peace. The siblings gazed endlessly at the mother they had never seen before.
Their mother in the portrait was beautiful.
Perhaps it was during the ti she had just married into the Conrad Kingdom? The young lady, who looked similar in age and appearance to Lena, smiled brightly.
The differences from Lena were her non-blonde hair, deep dimples, and distinct facial features that gave her a striking impression.
If Lena was a lily, their mother was a deep-colored rose ─ the lily spoke.
"...What about father?"
"He hasn't woken up yet. According to the Cardinal, he’s much better."
Silence followed. The siblings, after staring at their mother's portrait for a long ti, walked into the queen’s chamber on the third floor, silently looking around.
Both Leo and Lena had no mories of their mother.
They tried to guess what kind of person she was while looking around the room dedicated to her. Sparkling ornants were pushed into corners, and instead, there were many books, indicating she likely enjoyed reading...
- Glimr
A necklace gleaming in the moonlight streaming through the window caught Leo’s attention. Rembering sothing, he picked up the blue necklace, and a ssage appeared.
[ Achievent: Bound Item, 1/3 ]
[ Sword – Indestructible. ]
[ Mirror – Unusable. ]
[ Necklace – It's a Pretty Necklace. ]
Minseo might have grabbed the back of her neck seeing this. But as Leo thought, it really was pretty, and he turned it over in his hand.
The necklace is similar to the one my sister and I wear. It had the sa engraved pattern but was slightly larger. Our mother was wearing it in the portrait earlier.
All the bound items are related to our mother. Why isn't the achievent counter going up? It increased when Rev received the mirror from our mother.
Pondering this realization and the lingering question, Leo tucked the necklace into his pocket. As he approached his sister, who was touching the clothes their mother might have worn, footsteps echoed. It was Gallen, who had been reinstated as a royal guard.
"Your Highness. Sir Bart is here."
*
After sending Lena back to her room, Leo t with Bart and his companions. They appeared haggard, as if they had rushed here.
"Sir Bart. It's been a while."
I know Bart. We t before, spent ti together, and even shared a drink.
However, Bart had no such mories, so Leo concealed his gladness.
"Oh, Your Highness. You really are alive..."
The knights wept, but Bart remained silent. Kneeling with a forlorn expression, he couldn't move, and Leo guessed the reason.
"You've all worked hard. My return is entirely thanks to you knights. I tried to visit, but luck was not on our side. Don't feel disappointed; return to your duties."
"...How can we resu our posts? Gallen helped reinstate you, but I've done nothing. As an unfaithful servant... I shall leave now. Seeing you alive is enough."
Bart spoke somberly, regret evident in his tone. Leo did not accept this.
"Is my life so insignificant? My sister's life? Stand tall. You are the greatest contributors."
"But..."
Leo straightened Bart's wrinkled collar. The middle-aged knight, gaunt and scarred, was consoled by Leo.
"If you dispute my decision once more, I will consider it a betrayal. Surely, as a knight, you won't defy my orders?"
Leo spoke confidently, relying on the achievent of absolute loyalty, believing that his knight, bound to never betray him, would comply. However, Bart's response was unexpected.
"I'm sorry. Only reinstate the others. I cannot return."
"...Why?"
"I am no longer a knight... and I failed to uphold my vow."
Bart lifted his sword sheath. With the prince's permission, he drew his sword, which had never been sharpened. The blade, except for the tip, was completely dulled, an unusually long sword.
"This sword... I forged it from the weapons of my fallen comrades. I swore to avenge them before this sword broke, but I failed. I have nothing to offer their mory, so please do not sha ."
Bart's eyes, though filled with disappointnt, were unwavering.
He was a stubborn knight who lived solely for revenge. Realizing it was impossible to persuade him, Leo dismissed the others.
"So, what will you do now?"
"...I don't know. For now, I'll bury my comrades in a sunny place. After that..."
Bart sighed.
It seed he had never considered life beyond avenging Duke Tertan.
Leo poured him a drink. Sir Bart did not refuse, and as he downed the drink, Leo spoke of information he shouldn't know, feeling pity for him.
"Will you not seek out your wife and children?"
"...Did Gallen tell you? How could I face my wife? I tried to find them before, but they were gone. I hope they are well... The children must be grown by now."
"They are in the Right Kingdom, in the marquisate of Guidan, working as a maid."
"...What?"
"Your eldest son is married. He's about to have a child... Your second son runs a lumber mill with him. They're strong young n."
"How... How do you know this, Your Highness?"
"Don't ask. Is your wife's na Marisa? Believe , and seek them out. If you don't trust , contact the local church."
"...I will. Thank you."
Clattering, Leo drank in silence, leaving the bewildered Bart behind. Now in Prince Eric's forr room, he felt drowsy and quickly asked a question.
"I have sothing to ask."
"Yes, go ahead."
"Why did you take the necklace from Harie at Guidan's?"
"...How do you know...?"
"I t her and found out. She holds a grudge against you, so be careful when you visit Guidan. Now, answer quickly."
Bart shuddered.
That necklace. He rembered the eerie feeling when he first saw the blood-red jewel on it.
"I don't know why. It felt ominous, so I instinctively tried to take it and destroy it, but no matter what I did, it wouldn't break. My comrades said it was fine... Was it related to the Evil God you defeated?"
"Yes. It was."
Leo pondered briefly. Bart's unease at the sight of the jewel was strange.
The power of the Evil God wasn't opposed to the power of the Supre God, just different, so even priests couldn't detect it.
But why could Sir Bart sense it?
Did Sir Bart possess so special quality that made him wary of Oriax's jewel? Leo couldn't understand.
Even I can't recognize the power of the Evil God without the 'Divine Insight' achievent...
"What did you do with the necklace?"
If he still had it, I should ask for it and try breaking it with the Aura Blade. ─ Thinking this, Leo felt disappointed by Bart's brief response.
"I threw it into the sea."
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