Chapter 36: Falling Down~~
"Let go of me. This is highly disrecspectfull, you know? I’m the king now," Balthazar said calmly, grasping Alice’s hand that was still clutching his collar.
Alice reluctantly released him.
Balthazar adjusted his shirt, turned, and walked over to his desk. He skimmed through the documents spread across it before finally finding the stack he was looking for.
He lifted the bundle, then spread them out on the table, roughly twenty sheets of paper in total.
Alice narrowed her eyes, glancing over them. Each paper appeared to include a photograph of a person.
"Take a look," Balthazar said, gesturing for her to come closer.
Alice approached, picked up one of the sheets, and inspected its contents.
A photograph. A name. A description. And a full report of the person’s identity.
"Kani. Jack the Ripper’s fifth victim," Balthazar said quietly.
"A known sex offender," he added.
Alice’s brow furrowed even deeper. She picked up another.
"Wilson. A robber who murdered an entire family. Also Jack’s ninth victim."
Everyone in the room tensed, lips parting slightly in silent realization.
"See the pattern?" Balthazar asked, locking eyes with Alice.
She didn’t need him to explain further. She understood now. All of Jack the Ripper’s victims had been criminals.
Alice gripped the paper tighter, her fingers trembling slightly. Just as she did, Balthazar yanked it from her grasp, ripping it in the process.
The torn paper separated them... but also brought their gazes level.
Balthazar stared into her eyes, and for the first time in years, her golden irises shimmered, not with rage, but with restrained tears.
"See now? He hasn’t changed. He’s still the same as he used to be."
Balthazar leaned in, his yellow eyes darkening at the edges.
"Only... his methods are different."
Alice glared at him, anger flickering behind her tears.
And then...
BANG!
The chamber doors slammed open again.
"Your Majesty! A dragon has appeared in the royal square!" a young soldier burst in, shouting breathlessly.
Balthazar eyes widened.
"Deploy all units. Immediately!" Alice commanded before the king could respond.
The soldier froze for a second, confused. After all, he served the king, not her.
"Do what she says," Balthazar ordered coolly. "But send most of our forces to guard Solas Bridge and protect the noble district."
"By your command, Your Majesty!" the soldier shouted and quickly ran out.
"You—!"
"Quiet, Alice. A quarter of my forces is enough to deal with a dragon," Balthazar said.
Alice chuckled darkly under her breath.
"You’re a fool, Balthazar..."
Without warning, a dagger of pure darkness materialized in Alice’s hand.
She raised it to Balthazar’s neck. He didn’t flinch. Didn’t blink. He simply stared at the blade now pressed against his throat.
The butler immediately reacted, about to activate a skill, only to be intercepted by Alice’s subordinates.
Niel had a small dagger to the butler’s neck. Theodore’s finger pointed like a gun at his temple. Nimi’s glowing eyes locked onto his throat.
The butler froze instantly.
Alice pressed her blade tighter. A bead of blood trailed down Balthazar’s neck.
Still... he didn’t move.
Seeing that he wouldn’t react, Alice spun and slashed an "X" into the air.
Crack!
A black portal tore open, glimmering with lights like stars in the night sky.
"Niel. Theodore. Nimi. Let’s go. We’ll handle this ourselves," Alice said, her eyes sharp, fixed on Balthazar.
He returned her stare with his usual, unreadable calm.
Niel, Nimi, and Theodore stepped into the portal, leaving only the two of them.
The room was silent.
"Never forget this, Balthazar Von Salvatore—King of Solas. You only sit on that throne... because of Me and Sirius," Alice said, her voice cold as steel.
Then she disappeared into the portal, leaving Balthazar and his butler behind.
---
A brown-haired man pedaled his bicycle with a bright smile, humming a tune to himself.
Benedict sat stiffly in the passenger seat, discomfort twisting in his chest. He was seriously considering jumping off the bike and sprinting the rest of the way across the bridge into the noble district.
But just as he was about to act on that thought, they reached the end of the bridge.
Two guards stepped forward, each bearing the lion emblem of the royal army.
"Who are you?" barked the older one, his white cap and wrinkled face betraying his age.
The brown-haired man nudged Benedict lightly with his elbow, clearly prompting him to speak.
Benedict got the message. He dismounted, walked toward the guards, and offered a warm smile.
"Sorry, please let us through. He’s my savior," Benedict said politely.
The guards narrowed their eyes.
Benedict reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge, a symbol of the Veritas family.
A bat with outstretched wings.
"The Veritas family... Very well. You may enter," one guard replied, stepping aside to let them pass.
As they entered the noble district, Benedict glanced around. Several carriages were parked haphazardly on the street. It made sense, panic over the dragon had caught many nobles off-guard while shopping or strolling about.
Benedict scanned the area. He was looking for someone.
Marisol Aurelia.
His fiancée.
He needed to ask her... whether she still wanted this engagement, or had already decided to end it.
Benedict glanced over his shoulder. The brown-haired man didn’t seem suspicious at all. He parked his bicycle neatly to the side and brushed the dust off his clothes.
Still, something gnawed at Benedict. He had brought a complete stranger into this place. And ever since his wife betrayed him in his past world... trusting people hadn’t come easy.
He approached the man.
"Hey. Did you bring me here just to use me as a ticket in? So you could get inside safely?" Benedict asked.
The man smiled. "Well, it benefited both of us, didn’t it? I saw you standing there with no carriage. Figured I’d give you a lift, faster than walking."
Benedict chuckled softly. Fair enough. The guy really did seem harmless.
He turned his gaze toward where the dragon had been. It was no longer in the sky. Likely taken down by Alice and the royal soldiers.
Then.
A voice called out behind him.
"Well, well, well. If it isn’t Benedict Veritas, the lazy bastard of the Veritas family!"
Benedict froze, already groaning internally.
No...
That annoying bastard.
A lanky man with messy black hair and a cocky grin walked toward him.
"Ben Over..." Benedict muttered.
"Oh? And who’s this friend of yours?" Ben Over glanced at the brown-haired man.
"You’ve gotten so lonely you’re befriending commoners now? Hahaha!"
His laughter was obnoxious and loud.
Benedict seriously considered punching him right then and there.
But before he could act.
"BENEDICT!" someone screamed.
Benedict and Ben both turned. Marisol Aurelia was sprinting toward them, her face pale, drenched in sweat.
Why did she look so panicked?
"GET AWAY FROM HIM! HE’S JACK THE RIP—!"
Her warning was cut short.
A cold liquid splattered across Benedict’s face.
He reached up instinctively to touch it.
His fingers came away soaked in crimson.
Blood.
He turned slowly.
Ben Over stood frozen in place. Something... something like a shear. Was embedded in his chest.
Time seemed to stop.
Everything slowed.
No sound reached his ears. Just a dull ringing.
His breathing turned ragged. His hands trembled.
He couldn’t process what he was seeing.
Behind Ben Over...
A man with white hair. Half his face obscured by a mask, covering his eyes.
He wore a white vest under a long white coat.
Crimson eyes stared directly into Benedict’s.
And then...
The white-haired man smiled.