Chapter 742: Chaos (3)
“Sometimes, it’s like that.”
Underground, below the center of the capital city.
In that deathly silence, Puppet spoke as if lost in thought.
“People often fall into a delusion, thinking that receiving blessings like good looks, exceptional talent, or coming from a noble family makes them the center of the world, that they are somehow loved by the divine... but you see.”
Puppet paused for a moment, rose from his place, and began to walk toward Edward, who had collapsed to the floor in a trembling heap.
The reason Edward sat on the blood-soaked ground was that he had lost the strength in his legs out of sheer terror.
Puppet knelt down on one knee to meet the frightened prince’s gaze.
“That’s not proof that you’re special, nor is it evidence that you’re loved by the divine. Wealth, power, fame, looks—these things are nothing in the eyes of the so-called gods... like cubes of sugar.”
Puppet smirked, seemingly amused by his own metaphor. But the smile didn’t look joyful; it looked rather hollow.
“To an ant, it may be a priceless treasure, but to a person, it’s just something forgotten in a corner of a tea cabinet, hardly worth noticing... Now that I’ve said it out loud, it does sound quite cruel, doesn’t it? You received all that and yet deceived yourself into thinking you were the hero of the world.”
“All corpses have been cleared.”
Lilith approached Puppet, giving her report.
She had set aside those killed by the Unyielding Knee.
Puppet stood up, replying, “Thank you, Lilith... In any case, my dear prince, here’s the point. You are neither the center of the world, nor a divinely loved being, nor the main character. If anything, you’re more like a minor character, a shallow role that merely serves as a device in someone else’s story. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
The prince, still trembling on the ground, didn’t respond, seemingly too frightened to utter a word.
“My point is that, as a minor character, you should start the succession process. That is the reason for your birth and existence.”
Puppet looked down at Edward X as he gave the order.
To the heir of the throne of the greatest nation in the world.
Fortunate or unfortunate as it might be, the prince had just enough pride to muster up some resistance, despite his shaking hands.
“Y-You think you can... threaten me like that?”
Of course, that courage was bolstered by a thin layer of calculation.
He reasoned that since he was still unharmed, Puppet must need him alive for his plans of destruction. Surely, that meant Puppet would never dare to actually harm him.
But there was one flaw in his calculation.
It was a calculation made only from Edward’s perspective. And his opponent was Puppet.
“Oh, I expected you to be afraid. You’re a coward, after all.”
Puppet locked eyes with the prince. The prince remained silent.
“You know, don’t you? Just how pathetic a coward you are.”
Puppet approached the prince again. The prince continued to stay silent.
“You want the glory of a prince, but you don’t want the responsibilities. You crave others’ love, but have no intention of earning it. That’s why you took my hand so readily.”
Puppet leaned in close, his face almost touching the prince’s, who still didn’t say a word.
“Even with all those blessings, this is the shape you’ve ended up in. And you think you can defy me, clinging to some pitiful pride?”
Puppet crouched down, placing his hand on the prince’s shoulder. The prince continued his silence.
“Then, go ahead. I’ll cheer for you. Though, in return, you may face a brutal end, torn to pieces by your furious people... However, I can guarantee that will never happen. Do you know why?”
The prince slowly shook his head.
“You’re far too much of a coward, too self-absorbed to even attempt something as shallow as that... Lilith.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry, but could you take the prince and start preparing for the succession ceremony? Now that all our collaborators are here, it won’t be too hard to proceed.”
“Not everyone here is an ally, though.”
“If we kill a few, the rest will cooperate. Do what you must.”
Though Puppet’s request was one-sided, Lilith merely offered a slight grumble and then proceeded to escort Edward X out.
With the palace practically under their control, as Puppet had mentioned, a bit of effort would resolve any issues.
“Fine, fine... understood.”
“Thank you, as always.”
With a brief exchange, Lilith took the crown prince and departed.
Leaving the silent corpses and the Unyielding Knee in the underground chamber.
Amid the deafening silence, Puppet looked at the Unyielding Knee and asked,
“So, have you decided? About what to do with your brother?”
At the mention of his brother, the dark air of the underground wavered and brushed past Puppet’s face.
A sharp pain tingled across his cheek as it passed, and Puppet smiled.
Even with his pain receptors blocked, he felt it. Though barely, he had succeeded in imitating the Prince of Hell.
Puppet spoke again, this time more specifically.
“Can you kill your brother with your own hands? For the sake of avenging the tribe?”
Once again, the darkened air stirred violently, seeming to threaten Puppet, then quickly settled down.
As the air calmed, the Unyielding Knee nodded slowly.
He had chosen revenge.
...
The sudden revelation of the relationship between the crown prince and Puppet threw the entire capital into turmoil.
In the palace, Puppet and Edward X established a new connection, while fires and hunts for orphans kept the streets in constant noise and chaos.
And the impact of that chaos reached even the safe house where Edith, Philip, Terrence, Albert, and the pink-haired woman resided.
Compared to the palace and streets, it was calmer here, but only on the surface. Beneath, they were dealing with overwhelming stress and tension.
“The outside is almost like a slaughterhouse. People are terrified, arming themselves with shotguns, hoes, and clubs, and rounding up orphans for execution. They’re even clashing with the military.”
Terrence, back from surveying the situation, frowned as he gave his report.
“Execution, you say?”
Prince Albert, shocked by the abnormality of the report, questioned him.
Terrence, a soldier by training, respectfully explained.
“Quite literally, Your Highness. Terrified citizens have formed mobs and are executing orphans suspected of arson.”
In truth, the children being rounded up and killed were as much victims as anyone, but Terrence held back his words, concerned for the prince’s mental state.
And the caution wasn’t unnecessary, as the prince’s face had already turned pale.
For someone who took pride in his kingdom, seeing such barbarity would indeed be devastating.
Philip Roar gently supported the prince, helping him rest briefly, then turned to Terrence and asked in a quiet voice,
“So, does it seem possible to escape on foot?”
“I’m honestly not sure.”
Terrence shook his head, frowning.
“Frankly, I’m against leaving. Right now, the outside is pure chaos, and it’s no safer than facing a stray bullet. However-”
“-We’re out of options here. The entire capital has become too dangerous.”
Philip interrupted, and Terrence nodded, as if he had spoken his own mind.
With the radio announcing that the capital was to be sacrificed, staying here was no different from waiting to be slaughtered like livestock.
So, the conclusion was obvious. They had to move. But moving presented its own risks.
Given the state of the outside, it was utter chaos.
It might be manageable for themselves, but escorting the crown prince safely was fraught with risk.
And if the prince’s identity was exposed during the escape... well, it was unthinkable.
It was a lose-lose situation.
Even so, they had to make a choice, and as head of a prestigious family of military mages, Philip was well aware of this.
Even amidst this hellish scenario, he had the courage and capacity to decide.
However, in situations like this, one must heed others’ opinions.
Before making his final decision, Philip sought the perspectives of others.
Like that madman Edith, who had burst in on him, revealing Edward X’s conspiracy and suggesting an escape.
“Edith, your opinion...”
Philip began, only to stop and look around.
Edith was nowhere to be seen. With his hefty body, it should have been hard for him to hide.
For a moment, Philip wondered if he’d fled, but dismissed the thought.
Though he might be crazy, he wasn’t a coward, nor foolish enough to run alone in the midst of this chaos.
“He went that way, Sir.”
Prince Albert, looking worn from fatigue, pointed in a direction.
“He went over there.”
Albert pointed towards the hidden exit at the corner of the safe house.
“The pink-haired woman... that girl named Jane called him. She seemed to have something to discuss.”
...
“Just what are you scheming, Edith?”
In the hidden tunnel on the side of the safe house...
There, Jane, with her pink hair, questioned the man as bulky as three or four pigs put together.
“Crazy woman... You’ve got no respect, calling me by my name just like that. No tact or sense whatsoever. It’s a wonder how a girl without a shred of shame survived this long.”
Edith spewed insults as naturally as breathing.
But Jane, unfazed, replied smoothly.
“Just as you say, I’m a girl without parents. So you shouldn’t expect any daughterly respect. Unless, of course, you’d prefer I treat you like a father?”
“Crazy woman.”
Edith flashed a twisted grin.
“Fine, if you’d rather not talk about this, let’s stop. After all, you were the one who said I didn’t need to put on an act.”
“Playing hard to get, I see. Well, not bad. Your mother didn’t have such a talent and fell into worthlessness right away. In that sense, you’re better. I’m satisfied.”
Hearing his words, Jane, who had witnessed her mother’s decline into degradation, felt his comment as more than just an insult.
Though he hadn’t laid a hand on her, Edith’s words were nothing short of a form of violence—toward her mother and toward Jane herself. However, Jane felt a complicated mix of emotions, something beyond simple resentment or hatred. The reason for this—
“To avoid feeling like you’ve cheapened your precious trophy?”
Jane referred to herself as a “trophy.”
It was Edith’s word; he often called her that—a symbol of his successful revenge, his victory.
Jane hated that word, feeling as though it reduced her to less than human, even less than a daughter.
But the irony was that, due to that humiliating word, Jane had once been saved.
When Lady Miranda attempted to kidnap her and take over her inheritance, Edith had intervened precisely because he saw her as his “trophy.”
Thus, though Jane harbored deep hatred and anger toward Edith, she couldn’t deny the faintly complex feelings she felt.
Though they didn’t last long, thanks to Edith’s own behavior.
“Of course, I’d prefer a valuable trophy over a cheap one... although I admit, turning something valuable into trash is occasionally fun too. Want to fawn over me again? I sometimes miss that disgusting show of false affection.”
Jane flashed a frosty smile, filled with disdain and loathing.
“Is that why you brought me here?”
“Would you do it if I said yes?”
“No, I’d refuse. Besides, I never asked you to save me. I’m far too rich to stoop to such flattery now.”
“Ahahaha! Well, that’s a relief. I thought you’d gone soft for some silly love.”
“...Excuse me?”
“Women are dull creatures, and when they’re in love, they become even duller. Without anyone asking, they start holding fast to fidelity, pledging their loyalty and devotion like fools. I thought you’d become one of those morons... speaking of which.”
Edith paused briefly, then continued.
“Where are your little guards? Those black magic-using kids.”
He was referring to Kervy and Slyley, who had followed Jane all the way to the capital to protect her.
They’d been living with her after escaping Neverland and had taken on bodyguard roles, some even coming to the capital.
“You didn’t leave them behind, did you?... Ah, I see. You must have sensed the impending trouble and sent them off somewhere safe, under some guise or other.”
Edith’s insight pierced through the situation, contrasting with his brutish appearance.
“Well, well... Not only did you take in orphans, but you also arranged their escape when they needed it most. I had no idea you were such a kind-hearted girl. Or are you just playing the saint to look good for someone?”
“...I just didn’t think they’d be of much help and sent them away.”
“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing now, though? Why are you here in the capital? You’ve no ties to this place whatsoever. Lady Miranda may have invited you, but you could have easily ignored her... perhaps you came to lend him some help—”
“—I have a question too. May I ask it?”
As Edith pried into her mind, Jane interjected with a question of her own to stop him.
“What is it?”
“Why did you bring me here, Edith? I never asked for your help. What is your reason for helping me?”
Jane’s question was barbed, intended to push Edith back.
Edith let out a wide grin.
“Because it’s amusing.”
“What’s amusing?”
“To bestow unrepayable favors upon someone who despises me—on you, to be exact. And not just once, but twice.”
“...”
“That’s why I saved you. No matter what tricks you pull, you can neither deny nor forget this fact. Not for as long as you live... and I enjoy that very much.”
“What a sick reason.”
“Only just now realizing it? I take it your mother didn’t tell you what I did to her?”
Jane, furious, was about to respond when the door burst open.
Standing in the doorway was General Philip, towering at nearly two meters, who immediately began explaining the current situation and asking for their input on the next course of action.
As a high-ranking officer of the royal army, he surely wasn’t asking because he lacked ideas of his own. Rather, he was fulfilling a customary courtesy before moving forward.
Yet, despite this formal approach, Edith, who stood in stark contrast to Philip’s appearance, gave a reply identical to Philip’s own thoughts.
“Obviously, we should make a run for it. This city’s already a disaster, but it’ll get worse if we don’t get out now, no matter the risks. Staying put means certain death.”