Chapter 739: The Royal Family (3)
The garden furthest from the royal palace.
Boom━━!!
A loud, heavy sound echoed from that place.
It sounded as though two objects of immense density collided, which wasn’t far from the truth.
After all, both a hammer and a human head were high-density objects.
Thud.
When the hammer and the person’s head collided, Miller’s knees hit the ground.
This was because the head that struck the hammer belonged to none other than Miller.
"Ah..."
The Second in Line to the Throne of the United Kingdom made a faint, dazed sound and instinctively stumbled backward.
The reason he retreated was, of course, fear. But one could hardly blame him.
Imagine it: a terrible day when nothing seems to go right, and while taking a walk to ease the frustration, a man who seemed as large as three pigs combined suddenly appeared, claiming he had business, only to swing a hammer and crush the head of the prince’s secretary.
And this happened within the royal palace, no less.
It would be stranger not to be afraid.
Moreover, the prince was merely a boy in his early teens.
While his royal status had forced him to mature quickly, he was still just a boy.
The fact that he didn’t scream upon witnessing this scene showed that he was already quite brave.
"I... I should… run…"
In broad daylight. Inside the royal palace. Having just witnessed the brutal sight of his royal secretary’s head being smashed in with a hammer, the prince, with a mind bleached blank with shock, barely managed to think.
He needed to run now.
He couldn’t understand why a well-known fighter from Landa would commit such a mad act, but that could be sorted out later.
For now, what mattered was getting away from here and notifying others.
If he could just do that, he would ensure his own safety and find out why such madness had occurred.
“Yes, I have to run.”
The prince steadied his mind, made his decision, and soon his body moved in response to the command.
His upper body turned, and he lifted his foot from the ground.
But it wasn’t easy.
His mind had summoned the courage to make the necessary decision, but his body betrayed him. His trembling legs, filled with fear, gave away his cowardice.
And it didn’t stop there.
Tap-tap-tap-tap-!
The man known as Edith Lock, whose appearance was like that of a pig, moved with surprising agility to block Albert’s escape route.
“Did I scare you? Didn’t I say I was on good medication?”
“Ah…”
Albert took a hesitant step back, trying to buy some time.
“Wh… Why are you doing thi—”
“—Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times.”
Edith interrupted Albert and pointed at the fallen Miller with his finger.
“It means it's better to see something once than to hear about it a hundred times. It’s something I learned after making my social debut through my wife’s family and studying all sorts of things. Look over there.”
Edith encouraged Albert to turn around.
But Albert couldn’t do it easily.
If he turned his head, he feared this mad pig would smash him on the back of the head with that hammer.
Besides, he was horrified to look upon the corpse of the man who had supported him since he’d taken his first steps... someone who, in a way, was more of a friend.
Then, a sense of guilt welled up within him.
His friend had been struck down by a madman, yet he, the prince, had thought only of fleeing.
But that was that, and this was this. For now, Albert decided to go along with what Edith wanted.
He needed to stall and find a way to escape. After all, his life was not just his own, but belonged to the kingdom…
“What... is this?”
Albert turned his head slowly to confirm Miller’s fallen state and uttered in disbelief.
Though it sounded like a question, he wasn’t really seeking an answer.
The sight before him was so incomprehensible that it made him instinctively voice his confusion.
And it was no wonder. Miller’s appearance after being struck by the hammer was far from “normal.”
The part of his head that had been hit by the hammer was deeply indented, shattered, and cracked.
That much was believable.
The problem was that from the cracks in his sunken, shattered head, along with the red blood, pieces of screws and springs were spilling out.
Now that he noticed, amidst the metallic smell of blood, there was also the smell of oil.
“It’s a corpse puppet.”
Edith, who was standing behind him, explained.
He kept a safe distance so as not to scare Albert while explaining Miller’s true nature.
“To put it simply, think of it as a high-end zombie puppet. A master black magician delicately crafted this first-rate zombie. Unlike typical zombies, it boasts exceptional combat power and can also handle delicate tasks. One of those tasks includes spying. For example, as a royal secretary…”
Normally, Albert would have dismissed such words as nonsense, but now he could only gape, unable to speak.
It was utter madness, and yet, this madness was playing out right in front of his eyes.
In his mind, now whiter than ever, only one thought emerged.
“How...”
How could a corpse puppet have served as the royal secretary for decades? It was a fundamental, raw question.
The royal palace boasted the highest security as the kingdom’s most important site. Moreover, the Holy See also took special precautions, with holy knights regularly inspecting the palace.
They would check for any potential rats.
Of course, among those “rats” were black magicians (or corpse puppets).
According to the holy knights, their divine eyes could see through even the most well-concealed corpse puppets.
But until now, nothing like this had ever been reported.
“The reason is simple. Puppet is simply superior to those tin cans.”
Edith, now much closer to the wavering Albert, said.
Seeing him up close, he appeared even fatter—disgustingly so. However, unlike before, Albert didn’t react warily.
He was too exhausted to muster the strength. All he could do now was raise a question.
“Puppet?”
“Yes, Finger Puppet. He’s the best in that field.”
“That… That’s impossible…”
“Why wouldn’t it be possible? Puppet has lived for hundreds of years, and he almost swallowed Landa whole through an elaborate scheme not too long ago. What’s so difficult about swallowing a powerless royal family?”
Albert recoiled at the blasphemous remarks, wanting to respond, but the fat man wasn’t listening.
“I’m sorry, actually, I’m not sorry. Your Highness, I’m not here to argue with you. I’m here to save you. So please, cooperate.”
“You came to save me?”
Albert backed away in horror. It was impossible to believe that a man who had swung a hammer out of nowhere would say such a thing.
What reason could a fat fighter possibly have to save him? His tone suggested he had no sense of patriotism or loyalty, nor even the slightest bit of duty.
“You see it correctly. Actually, I have a sad reason for being here. Some foolish woman… Anyway, will you escape with me?”
Edith extended a hand, resembling a pig’s trotter.
Albert breathed heavily, rejecting it.
“I… I can’t run. I have to inform my brother of this!”
“Didn’t you hear me? Didn’t I say that Puppet has already devoured the royal family? And who stands to gain the most from that?”
Albert inhaled sharply. This conversation... felt strangely familiar.
“That’s impossible! My brother would never… with a black magician!!”
“You didn’t hear the radio?”
Edith casually brought up the blasphemous rumor.
That the kingdom's leaders, those who had no lack of anything in this world, had joined hands with a black magician.
"Damn... well, it’s possible. After all, most nobles are fools who can’t recognize the truth even when it’s right in front of them. So, I’ll give you a choice."
“?”
“We don’t have much time. If you come with me, I’ll tell you exactly what your brother and Puppet are planning. But if you refuse, I’ll escape alone. This place will become hell soon enough.”
“…”
“I’m not kind enough to help a foolish brat who turns a blind eye to the truth. So, what will you do? … My advice is to look at the situation objectively.”
Albert’s gaze shifted momentarily to the fallen Miller.
His royal secretary, who had served him loyally throughout his life, lay there—a corpse puppet with screws and springs spilling from his shattered head.
And he thought of his mother, the queen, who had collapsed under mysterious circumstances, chalked up to a nervous breakdown.
Albert, unsure but determined, felt that he had to investigate this hidden truth.
"I…"
As Albert opened his mouth, Edith raised the hammer high.
The black, heavy metal gleamed in the sunlight, then came down on Miller’s arm lying near Albert.
Crunch!!
The dismembered arm, which had been crawling toward him, shattered into pieces under Edith’s hammer. Albert gasped and instinctively moved closer to Edith.
“Don’t follow him, Your Highness.”
Miller, still lying on his back, rose as though flipped over like a spider.
Blood, oil, and fragments of screws spilled from his cracked head, amplifying his grotesque appearance.
"I thought you were dead. No, wait—you’re already a corpse, so saying you’re dead doesn’t quite fit, does it? Out of order?"
Edith muttered, shielding Albert.
The dynamic between Edith and the prince had flipped since their first meeting.
“Come with me, Your Highness. You mustn’t follow him. He’s a greedy fighter.”
Miller, standing like a spider, urged the prince to come to his side.
“Are you out of your mind? Look in a mirror. With that face, you really think anyone would come over? I'd rather trust a greedy fighter than a monster.”
Ironically, Edith’s insult reflected Albert’s own sentiments perfectly.
“Or is it desperation? Afraid the prince might leave with me? Your Highness, you should make a quick decision. Are you coming with me, or are you staying here until you’re caught? Someone is on their way here.”
Edith, who had a clear grasp of the situation, hit the nail on the head; Miller had suddenly risen out of fear that Albert would indeed follow Edith.
Someone was approaching, and they needed to stall for more time.
"Your Highness! Trust me! We are loyal to the royal family. My master has not infiltrated the palace; he is supporting it through fair trade! The crown prince himself is aware of this."
“My brother…?”
“Yes, he chose to keep this information from you solely for security reasons. He planned to inform you in time. He and my master are preparing a great plan together.”
The passionate shout seemed genuine, but Albert interpreted it differently.
"Then… does that mean my mother’s collapse really has something to do with my brother?"
Rumors of the upper echelons’ scandal with Puppet, his mother’s mysterious illness, his brother’s sudden ascent to the throne, Joanna’s warning, and Miller’s revelation as a corpse puppet—each piece connected like a puzzle, leading Albert to an unbelievable conclusion.
Miller responded.
“…No.”
A painfully long silence followed.
Albert, upon hearing that response, shouted to Edith.
"Sir Edith, I’ll go with you!"
“An excellent choice!”
Edith shouted and pulled a scroll from his coat.
It was a high-value teleportation scroll, capable of instantly transporting the user and nearby individuals to a pre-designated location.
As Edith prepared to activate the scroll...
Thwack-!
Something darted through the air, tearing the scroll in half.
“A foolish choice you’ve made… Your Highness!!”
It was Miller’s doing. His body had astonishingly transformed to resemble a spider.
Hydraulic cylinders extended between his joints, and using his elongated arms, he swiped at Edith’s scroll, shattering it.
Edith roared.
“Damn it! It’s broken! Pay for it!!”
“I originally aimed at you… Quick reflexes.”
“How many times do I have to tell you I’m on good meds?! Figures you’d have a screw loose!”
Edith shouted back, gripping his hammer tightly.
Watching him, the spider-like Miller asked.
“You think mere medication could make you a match for me?!”
With that, blades like a praying mantis’s arms sprang from Miller’s body.
“Disgusting as hell. Now I see why you got hit. Showing off that grotesque face…”
Shing-!
A sharp sound sliced through the air.
Miller’s blade had slashed the handle of Edith’s hammer, cutting it cleanly.
“Let’s see how long you can keep running your mouth.”
“Move, and I’ll kill the prince!”
Without hesitation, the now-unarmed Edith grabbed Prince Albert by the neck and threatened Miller.
The prince’s eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and injustice in his gaze, even causing Miller, the corpse puppet, to pause.
“What the hell…?”
“Sir Edith?”
Both Albert and Miller called out, looking at him in confusion. Edith muttered audibly.
“Play along. We need to buy time until reinforcements arrive.”
It was cryptic, but thankfully, it soon became clear what he meant.
Thunk!!
A massive greatsword, as large as a person, flew through the air, smashing Miller into pieces.
The blade had been thrown by a newcomer approaching from the direction it flew.
It was none other than General Philip, a high-ranking officer in the kingdom’s forces and a master magician.
"I’ve come to escort you, Your Highness."