Chapter 26
Though he held his breath in momentary surprise, Benedict didn’t actually think much of it.
It was probably a royal servant. Since morning was approaching, perhaps they came to place water or towels in advance.
‘No… it’s a bit too quiet for that, isn’t it?’
If not, maybe it was a sharp-eared guard who heard Benedict tossing and turning and got worried someone had broken in.
‘But the footsteps… they’re far too quiet.’
Knights wore metal armor. No matter how careful they were, they’d make some clinking sounds.
Benedict had woken up multiple times last night because of it, so he was certain.
Now, soft footsteps brushing over the carpet drew closer, and only then did a bit of tension creep into Benedict.
This person clearly knew the layout well. Despite the darkness, they headed straight to the desk without hesitation.
“…!”
Benedict flinched. There was only one thing on that desk.
And then Alzeron’s words echoed in his mind:
“The fact that you received a precious ring was made widely known through the papers. If someone tries to steal it, wouldn’t that be troublesome?”
Had he said that because he knew someone might try?
Benedict opened his eyes just a sliver and stared at the dark silhouette in the distance.
Apparently unaware that he was being watched, the intruder slowly opened a drawer.
“Damn it.”
He couldn’t just sit by anymore. Benedict sprang up from his bed.
The shadow flinched and looked up in surprise.
Benedict leapt down from the bed, grabbed the poker by the fireplace, and charged.
Startled, the figure backed away toward the window behind the desk. Seizing the moment, Benedict thrust the end of the poker toward the figure’s neck.
“Who are you?”
As he pushed it closer, the sharp tip dug slightly into the figure’s skin.
As the figure twitched, the tightly closed curtain shifted slightly, and a sliver of moonlight trickled through.
Benedict saw the blood trickling down from the neck and staining the white collar.
But oddly, there was no wound on that long white neck.
“…!”
Benedict yanked the curtains wide open.
And the face revealed under the moonlight… was exactly who Benedict expected.
There was only a trail of blood. The wound had already healed and disappeared.
Only two people could perform such miraculous feats.
“Hello, Benny.”
Alzeron Shevan, the boy with hair as radiant as moonlight, smiled as if nothing were wrong.
Benedict glared at him sharply and slowly lowered the poker.
To place a blade against a prince’s throat was a grave crime punishable by death, but Benedict did not apologize.
“When you mentioned a thief, I didn’t think it was a warning of your own intentions, Your Highness.”
“Oh, it’s just a misunderstanding.”
Alzeron lifted his hand, revealing the ring, as if to show it off.
“A misunderstanding?”
“Yeah. The one you had was fake. I came to secretly swap it with the real one.”
He casually placed the ring on the desk. It looked identical to the one Benedict had officially received just a few days ago.
“…I’ll confirm it.”
Benedict slowly pulled out the long necklace from under his collar. At its end hung the ring he had received.
“You didn’t keep it in the drawer?”
Alzeron looked a little surprised.
“It’s precious to me. I only left the box on the desk.”
Though the box was also a valuable royal gift, after all.
Benedict placed the two rings side by side. They were identical in size and design—hard to tell apart.
But the one Alzeron brought had noticeable scratches on the band, likely from long use.
His claim that this was the real one seemed true. Then did the king gift a fake?
“Father didn’t mean any harm. Benny.”
Alzeron quickly offered an explanation, sensing Benedict’s confusion.
“He just wanted to give you a new ring. As you can see, the original… was a bit worn out.”
So… they replaced a ring with centuries of tradition just because it was old?
Benedict replied coldly.
“That was my father’s keepsake.”
If they wanted to replace it, they should have at least asked for Benedict’s opinion.
“I know. But to Father, it was more about the symbolic relationship between the royal family and the ducal house. He wanted to remake it with a higher-grade gem.”
So he wanted to improve the ring out of kindness? Then perhaps this really was a gesture of goodwill?
If so, it meant the king had no idea about the hidden space passed down in the ducal family.
If he knew the ring was the key, he’d have made sure it was passed on properly.
‘Did he really not know? Or was this an attempt to prevent me from unlocking it?’
Benedict wasn’t sure what to believe.
‘No, that’s not what matters right now.’
Whatever the king’s true intention, there was no way to verify it now. Speculating was pointless.
Benedict looked up at Alzeron. What mattered now was his sincerity.
“So you’re saying you’ve defied His Majesty’s will, Your Highness?”
Alzeron simply smiled awkwardly, unable to deny it.
“I hope you won’t say I don’t have the right to question his intentions.”
“There’s nothing grand behind this.”
Alzeron stepped back and perched on the low window ledge.
“I wasn’t in favor of Father’s gesture to begin with. I knew that ring would be a cherished memento to you.”
“And yet!”
“But I didn’t get the chance to speak up. As you know, Father’s a very busy man. Once he sets his mind on something, he follows through.”
Alzeron offered a somewhat lonely smile.
“So I let him do as he pleased, and planned to switch it out in secret later.”
“If His Majesty finds out, there will be consequences—not just for you, but for the ducal house as well.”
“He won’t. Don’t worry.”
Alzeron shook his head confidently.
“He doesn’t have time to revisit what’s already done. He’ll never even check the vault where the ring was stored.”
“…”
“I just didn’t think the ring belonged there. And… you said you preferred me, remember?”
“…What?”
“You said you’d rather have me as your brother than Father. That made me really happy.”
Benedict was left speechless, staring at the shy expression on Alzeron’s face.
Back then, he hadn’t really meant it—he just nodded along because he couldn’t compare them properly.
“So as your brother, I wanted to do what I could. Really…”
Alzeron looked at him with desperate sincerity.
“That’s all. I swear it on my blood, Benny.”
“…For now.”
With a sigh, Benedict removed the ring from the necklace.
“Understood. I’ll return this one, then?”
“You believe me?”
“About half.”
“So strict, my little brother.”
Alzeron smiled and tucked the returned ring into his robe after glancing at it in the moonlight.
“I just want to treat you well, Benny.”
“If that’s all it is…”
“No.”
Alzeron shook his head with a sigh.
“Compared to the burden you carry, my kindness is nothing.”
Benedict did carry a burden—as the Duke.
But how that led to Alzeron feeling the need to be kind was unclear. After all, Alzeron wasn’t the one who placed that weight on him.
“Sorry. I’ve kept someone who’s leaving early tomorrow up too long.”
Alzeron stood as if to end the conversation. Benedict quickly grabbed his arm.
“Hm?”
“What… did you mean by that?”
“Mean what?”
“Just now—you said I carry a ‘burden.’”
“Oh, I said too much. Sorry.”
But he didn’t look sorry at all. He even looked… pleased, like someone who had gotten a head start.
“Well, you’ll find out soon enough. You’re now of rank to access the historical records freely. It’s a long story.”
Muttering to himself, Alzeron leaned back against the window frame.
“Benny.”
Then he lowered his voice.
“Have you ever heard the word curse in relation to the ducal house?”
Curse.
That word… he remembered.
“A curse that burns one up with heat and quickly leads to death,” you said?
He had read those words in Emma’s letter to his grandfather. Though he hadn’t asked further, not wanting to upset his grandmother.
“You already knew, huh.”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
He only recently thought he might find out more by unlocking the family’s hidden space. He still knew nothing.
“As you saw just now.”
Alzeron touched the spot on his neck where only dried blood remained.
“They say only time can kill a royal heir.”
In other words, royal blood could not die of anything but old age.
Because of that, the Shevan royal family had a unique trait—since the first generation, they had only ever produced one child per generation.
While most royal families had many children to secure the bloodline and protect the throne, Shevan needed none of that. One heir, always.
That singular line of power had never wavered to this day.
The strength of the monarchy today could be said to rest on that “blessing.”
“But don’t you find it odd?”
“Pardon?”
“It’s like… with heat comes cold, with light comes darkness. So if there’s a blessing…”
“There must be… a curse.”
Benedict felt a chill run through him. Could it be… that curse?
“Yes, exactly.”
Alzeron nodded as if confirming Benedict’s suspicions.
“There’s no hereditary disease in the ducal house. What exists there… is a curse given alongside the royal family’s blessing.”
And now, Benedict had no words to reply.
