The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 51

The main battle had ended, and the retreat was peaceful in its own way. Though the expedition turned back at Santia’s firm command, everyone’s heart was set on the same goal: a strong determination to finish the job next time. No one expressed it in words, but the entire expedition was filled with a fighting spirit.

The expedition, united in purpose regardless of whether they were from Makari, Hailon, or the royal family, burned with a desire for revenge and looked forward to the next opportunity.

Except for one person.

“Are we really going back like this? With those bastards right in front of us?”

During a brief rest, Alban approached Yulania, panting and whispering. He kept looking around, whispering in a small voice, as if he knew his opinion was different.

“Santia, who has more experience than anyone, made the decision. What’s the problem?”

Yulania replied emotionlessly. She was preoccupied with thoughts of Santia, who had gone ahead to scout the road back to the castle, and had no time to deal with Alban. Santia had left with a few elite knights. This was possible because the royal investigation team and the Hailon knights were all traveling with Yulania.

He had repeatedly reassured her that he would be back soon, but she couldn’t stop her thoughts from turning to him.

Moreover, violent emotions were still swirling in her head. Now that she held the secrets of the demon and the sacred stone, her fear of the royal family had diminished. And that attitude was particularly evident towards her younger brother, who represented the royal family.

“Why the hell have I been through all this hardship? I won’t be satisfied until I kill at least one of those demon kings or whatever. What’s the Duke so afraid of that he’s suddenly running away?”

“……”

“I suspect he brought me and you along only to run ahead by himself. I feel like I should do something to take care of things. Let’s see, was that place where those guys were earlier about half a day away? Sister, are you listening to me?”

“I don’t know.”

Yulania found Alban’s incessant chatter annoying. She was sure that if she agreed to what he wanted to do, she would ruin everything. She reaffirmed her intention to wait quietly for Santia and ignored Alban’s words.

Yulania tried to ignore him, even as Alban lingered nearby, glancing at her with a piercing gaze. She knew that getting involved with him would not be good for her. All that remained was to return safely to the castle.

But Alban couldn’t hold back any longer and strode closer. Yulania instinctively stiffened at the sound of his heavy footsteps.

“Sister.”

His voice was laced with irritation. Before Yulania could turn around, Alban reached out. And grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, as if to seize her. She gasped in surprise at his rough behavior.

“Gasp.”

“Depending on what you do now, the content of the report that goes to Father could change.”

He spat out in a low voice. It was a completely different attitude from the one he had been using to coax Yulania just a moment ago.

“What?”

Yulania froze for a moment. The difference in physique wasn’t significant, but Yurban’s rough touch as a man was more violent than she had expected. As Yulania flinched and instinctively tried to step back, he tightened his grip.

“Perhaps, in the report about plotting treason with the demon, it could be changed to say that you are innocent.”

His lips twisted into a smirk. Yulania’s eyes widened at his blunt words.

“What are you talking about! Such an absurd report!”

Yulania protested in surprise, but Alban only snorted.

“That’s right. No matter what you say, Father will only believe me. I’m the one filing the report, and you’re the one being accused.”

He smiled even more vilely. It was a gleam in his eyes that even Yulania had never seen before. Within the familiar face of her younger brother, there was a mixture of unfamiliar ambition and anger.

“And the weather’s nice, so I could send a messenger bird right away.”

Alban casually rotated his wrist.

“I might as well test how strong the Duke is to stand against the kingdom.”

He muttered nonchalantly, but there was clear malice in his words. Yulania’s lips trembled as she tried to clear her frozen mind. Her heart was pounding like crazy, her throat was parched, and her fingertips were tingling with fear, but Alban gained confidence. He whispered in an even more sly manner.

“With your power, it’s not dangerous, right? What are you worried about?”

He tilted his head slightly and looked into her eyes.

“Just help your only brother out, okay?”

” Alban.”

Yulania barely managed to call his name. Alban laughed even more arrogantly, as if mocking her weak resistance.

“If the Duke finds out, you know? I’d like this to be a secret just between us siblings.”

Yulania was momentarily breathless and couldn’t think of what to say or how to refuse. In the meantime, Alban took control of the situation himself. As if he didn’t need her answer, he gestured towards the royal knights.

“You, you, uh, yeah, you too. Follow me quietly.”

A few royal knights approached with bewildered faces. They were the ones who followed Alban. Yulania bit her lip as she looked at them. Resting in the forest for a while had turned out like this. She raised her head to look for Mireya, but she wasn’t in sight.

Her heart ached as if it were sinking. Her condition had not been normal since earlier, and the added fear made her head pound and her fingertips tingle.

In the end, Yulania was dragged along with the royal knights. Bihan barely managed to keep up, but Yulania’s gesture prevented him from stopping them. She focused on breathing evenly, finding small comfort in the fact that at least Bihan was with her.

As they walked along the familiar mountain path, they had returned from just a few hours ago, Alban led the way with a leisurely expression, as if satisfied. The way he drew his sword and swung it around made him look like a child on a picnic. His seemingly innocent attitude only made Yulania more nervous. She followed behind, constantly trying to compose herself in her mind.

‘I have to let Santia know somehow.’

She forcibly suppressed the trembling of her whole body. She forced herself to make a calm face so that her emotions would not be revealed.

And so, the royal siblings and a small number of knights turned into the deep forest.

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