Endi and the others ran desperately toward the royal palace, a single thought echoing in their minds—
the death of King Willart Regalo.
If it were true, Nakatham would plunge into chaos.
And if he had been murdered, it was nothing short of an unprecedented rebellion.
Endi, Lamia, and the three Marshals kept running, determined to uncover the truth.
Rabesta had already been taken to a sanatorium by the soldiers.
Though Lamia's healing magic had closed his wounds, the heavy blood loss left him drifting in and out of consciousness.
The palace greeted them with an eerie silence.
Where once had thrived majesty and vitality, now only a suffocating stillness reigned.
The moment they opened the doors to the throne room, the air froze.
King Regalo lay sprawled upon the floor, drenched in blood.
A deep gash carved across his torso, blood pouring like a torrent, staining the floor a dark crimson.
It was clear that more than two-thirds of his blood had already been lost.
Esta stared blankly at the scene, his lips trembling, his mind at its breaking point.
"What… what happened here…?" Endi forced the words out, his voice shaking like that of a broken child.
Then Lamia gasped.
The king's right index finger twitched.
In a heartbeat, Lamia rushed to his side, placing her hands above the wound.
A radiant light enveloped the king.
"Will he live!? Tell me, can you save him!?" Moene shouted, her voice cracking.
But Lamia's expression was drenched in sorrow.
No matter how much light she poured, she knew—his life was fading.
"En…di. Are you… there…?"
"Yes, Your Majesty! I'm right here!" Endi knelt beside him.
For the first time, King Regalo looked at him with gentle eyes.
"Take care… of Rose. And… protect Lamia… with all you have…"
With those final words, King Willart Regalo closed his eyes forever.
"No… why…?" Lamia's tears streamed down despite her hands covering her face.
"Your Majesty! Please stay with us! Your Majesty!" Endi's cries echoed hollowly.
Moene collapsed with a wail.
Jessica lowered her head, silent tears spilling.
Even Ponaparto bit his lip hard, while Moschino and Valentino quietly accepted the death.
Thus passed Willart Regalo, 83rd King of Nakatham.
"Shut your mouth, Moene!!"
Esta's furious roar shattered the hall.
Moene flinched, silenced.
"Esta! You didn't need to say it like that!" Jessica shouted back.
"Shut it! Enough with the chatter! Where the hell is Rose!? That bastard—where is he wandering at a time like this!?" Esta's rage had broken all reason.
A knight's report revealed the king had been with Rose just before his death.
And when the flames rose, Rose had volunteered as the king's bodyguard.
"Don't tell me you think Rose is the killer!?" Esta's face twisted like a demon's mask.
"Stop that, Esta! Don't twist my words!" Lamia protested fiercely.
But Valentino's calm words made the air heavier still.
"Right now, the prince's whereabouts are unknown. Suspicion is inevitable, especially since he was the last one with His Majesty…"
Esta exploded, drawing his sword and slashing at Valentino.
"Stop, Esta! This isn't the time!" Endi threw himself between them.
"Stay out of this, outsider! The king is dead, and Rose is being accused—damn right I won't stand still! Rose would never do this!"
"I know! I believe in Prince Rose too! But calm down! If we lose our heads now, worse things may yet come!" Endi's voice rang through the throne room.
Then, a figure stepped between them.
Ponaparto.
"Enough. Do you fools realize where you stand? You're disgracing yourselves before the king's corpse. Do you want to die here?"
His quiet, seething words froze both Endi and Esta.
Slowly, Esta sheathed his blade.
"Well well, now isn't this lively?"
A voice, light and mocking, echoed from the doorway.
Abel stood there with a sly grin.
"In moments of crisis, a man's worth is tested—whether he keeps calm, whether he acts wisely. Don't you agree?"
"Alpha!? When did you—!?" Endi blurted.
But Abel sighed in exasperation.
"No, not Alpha. Abel. I told Rabesta as much, didn't I?"
Valentino narrowed his eyes.
"Alpha or Abel, I don't care. Who are you really, and what do you know of this?"
Abel chuckled.
"Why should I bother telling you anything? I owe you nothing."
Esta's blade flashed once more.
"Don't get cocky, bastard."
"Oooh, scary. But relax, we're not here to fight… not yet."
"We? Not yet? What the hell are you implying?" Endi demanded.
Abel sneered.
"So many questions. But hearing them from you, Endi, only makes me laugh. You've been entangled in this from the start—you just lost your memories. Isn't that right… brother?"
The throne room froze again.
Abel glanced toward the heavy doors, which creaked open.
And there stood Cain—his reptilian eyes devoid of all humanity.