I Became a Sick Nobleman-Chapter 203: Scattered Bodies (3)

***

“Ruel.” Banios’s eyes flitted about nervously.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Please, don’t take offense at what I’m about to ask.”

“I’m all ears.”

“Can we really find his body here?”

Just the treasure they had passed already seemed to exceed a hundred. And there lay much more ahead. The prospect of discovering his body within this expanse was intimidating.

—Woooh!

Leo and the spirits were already entranced by the shining treasures.

Ruel was bothered by their careless running, and they finally stopped in place.

“Why are you stopping?”

“Your Highness, please wait just a moment.”

“Alright.”

Had they found something? Ruel’s expression was serious.

Ttak.

At the cane’s tap, Leo, who had been playfully reaching for the treasures, jolted in surprise.

—This, this body touched nothing! Really!

Kuroo kuru.

The spirits hurriedly gathered around Leo, shaking their heads.

“Leo,” Ruel’s voice was gentle.

—This body just looked! This body kept its promise to Ruel, that this body wouldn’t touch anything before entering!

As Ruel drew nearer, Leo playfully grabbed his tail. But soon, he perked up his ears. Ruel turned and headed in a different direction.

—Ruel?

Leo let go of his tail and curiously followed Ruel. Ruel was smiling. It was a smile that indicated he had found something.

‘I found it.’

The key to unlocking his unique power lay in the hero’s strength. That very strength guided him to his unique ability. Pausing, he listened to his racing heart, stopping precisely where the hero’s strength directed.

The heartbeats ceased, ushering in silence. In front of where Ruel stopped, a box was placed. The box was about half the size of a human torso, and its exterior was adorned with gold leaf, making it look very luxurious.

“Your Highness,” Ruel beckoned to Banios.

Noting Ruel’s confident grin, Banios hastened over. His gaze shifted from the box Ruel indicated to the numerous similar ones nearby, perhaps twenty in total.

“Is this truly it?”

“It is.”

To unseal the body within the royal palace, Ruel believed they needed to breach Leponia’s barrier. Yet, that was the enemy’s perspective; in reality, they merely needed to pass through the barrier.

Subsequently, the royal family would employ a key to unlock it, enabling Setiria to release the body’s seal. Would the other boxes follow the same protocol? For now, Ruel focused on the box before him. Inhaling Breath, he said, “Please unlock it, Your Highness.”

“Of course,” Banios replied, moistening his lips.

Before he could touch the box, a doubt crept in, “Are you certain we should proceed? Once the seal is broken, can you guarantee the body won’t fall into his hands?”

“Yes, I assure you. Please, have no fear, Your Highness.” 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

In the Beast Forest, when the seal was undone, the body wasn’t taken; he went to retrieve it. Moreover, he couldn’t enter Leponia.

“Ah…” Just as Banios was poised to touch the box, Ruel interjected as if recalling something.

Banios exhaled deeply, patting his chest. He must have been extremely tense. It was an unusual sight for Banios, who was normally so composed.

“Why the hesitation? Have you remembered something crucial?”

“When the seal was broken before, there were swirling sounds and lights. I completely forgot that we need to stop that.”

Possibly due to the stimulant’s effects, he had forgotten the most critical detail. Ruel wiped his forehead. Despite not being nervous, he was sweating coldly.

“Please, wait a moment. I’ll step outside and inform Cassion.”

“Understood. I’ll wait here.”

Given that the royal treasury could only be accessed once daily by the royal family, Ruel decided to go alone briefly. When Ruel glanced at Leo, he awkwardly muttered,

—This body will be, um, watching.

It was clear that Leo was planning to seize the opportunity and touch something in his absence. Ruel thought about taking him along but ultimately headed to the entrance, meeting Banios’s gaze.

“Ca…” Ruel began to call out to Cassion waiting by the treasury door but then covered his mouth.

Cassion hurried over, offering a handkerchief. “Are you alright?”

After coughing up blood, Ruel was engulfed in a wave of dizziness, his vision momentarily fading to black. Upon regaining consciousness, he found Cassion supporting him. It seemed like he had briefly lost consciousness.

‘Well, that’s not surprising. I thought for a second that my body was fine.’

Ruel bit his lip, feeling a lingering ache.

“Just give me a painkiller.”

“You’ve pushed yourself too hard.”

“I can handle it.”

“If it becomes too much, I can call Miss Fran. She just arrived at the royal palace.”

That was a welcomed offer.

“Inform her to wait. I’m unsure of what might happen to me.”

Ruel had the qualifications to obtain his unique power, but he didn’t know if his body could withstand it.

‘Maybe I should have taken more painkillers in advance?’

Ruel exhaled as the pain subsided alongside the medication.

“Did you step out due to the pain?”

“No.” Ruel shook his head. “Please convey to His Majesty to suppress the sounds and lights throughout the royal palace. Once all is prepared, signal me via His Highness Banios’s communication device.”

“Understood.”

Leaning on his cane, Ruel rose to his feet. Just as he was about to re-enter the treasury, he called out to Cassion. “Cassion.”

“Yes, Ruel-nim.”

“If I faint, regardless of the circumstances, wake me quickly.”

Cassion gazed at him, bewildered. Ruel, seemingly unconcerned about Cassion’s reaction, turned and re-entered the treasury.

‘He always asks me for such troublesome favors.’

***

—…?

As soon as Ruel re-entered the treasury, Leo rushed over to sniff the air.

—Blood, this body smells blood!

Ruel shook his head dismissively, as if it were of little concern.

“I’m sorry to inconvenience you since I can’t leave… but why do you look so pale?” Banios flinched at the sight of Ruel’s ghostly complexion as he greeted him.

“It’s nothing. When Your Highness receives a signal on your communication device, we can proceed,” Ruel replied.

“Alright. Please sit here for now,” Banios instructed, pointing to a chair in the corner of the treasury.

“I’m fine…”

“Ruel, that’s an order,” Banios insisted, emphasizing his future role as king. Reluctantly, Ruel sat down, keeping himself alert.

“Ruel.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“No matter what unfolds from this point on, it’s not your fault.”

“…?”

“You have done your best.”

Feeling uncomfortable with those words, Ruel grimaced.

‘Does that mean it’s okay if a few people die since I did my best?’

Ruel felt that if he spoke now, only sarcasm would escape his lips, so he remained silent.

“Don’t misconstrue my intent.” Seeing Ruel’s expression, Banios attempted to reassure him.

“It was a war that was going to happen anyway, and thanks to you, we’ve fortunately prevented great damage and saved many lives, so I just wanted to express my gratitude.”

—Shining!

Leo, who had been inspecting the treasures, interrupted with enthusiasm.

“So…”

“Your Highness, we’ve received a signal. It’s time to proceed,” Ruel interjected, cutting off Banios.

Banios probably wanted to tell Ruel not to blame himself for whatever happened to Setiria, but Ruel felt like that would absolve him of responsibility for all the worst events that might occur in the future, so he didn’t want to hear it anymore.

He was Ruel Setiria, the head of Setiria. Everything that happened in Setiria was his responsibility. Even if the burden of that responsibility had been forced upon him, he had no intention of giving it up. That heavy sense of duty was what had driven him to prepare for all of this.

Banios briefly ended the communication and stood in front of the box where the body was sealed.

“I will unseal it.”

Banios cast a serious glance at Ruel, who nodded in response. Placing his hand on the box, the royal emblem appeared on the back of Banios’s hand, surprising him momentarily before he composed himself and said, “Please unseal.”

‘Can I hear words in my head?’ Ruel quietly waited.

Click.

With a sound indicating the opening of something, Banios lifted the lid of the box.

‘…!’

Ruel’s eyes widened as he saw talisman-like papers covering the white cloth. It was a familiar sight. He had definitely seen something ominous wrapped in that paper somewhere before.

‘Where have I seen that before?’

As Banios reached for the body, he spoke as if addressing someone, “I grant permission.” Then, he turned to Ruel. “It appears I require your consent in addition to mine to break the seal. Now, it’s your turn.”

With those words, Ruel cautiously placed his hand on the body. Like Banios, a sky-blue shield emblem materialized on the back of Ruel’s hand.

-Verification: You are Setiria. An evil body is sealed here.

A mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

-Consent from Leponia has been secured. Nevertheless, the final decision rests with you, Setiria. Will you truly release the seal?

‘To release the seal, both Banios’s and my permission are needed, but it seems my stake is greater?’

Ruel did not hesitate.

“I will release it.”

-Commencing the seal release procedure.

Fizzle.

The paper suddenly ignited, burning swiftly. As only the white cloth remained, a sky-blue light shot upwards as if piercing through the ceiling. Ruel shielded his eyes with his arms, then slowly lowered them. A faint, almost divine light flickered above the white cloth, beckoning to him. Instinctively, he reached out towards it.

-O God! Please do not abandon these poor servants! I will fight for everyone! I… will sacrifice myself for all!

With a suddenly resonating voice, the light ascended Ruel’s arms. Before he could confirm the disintegration of the body wrapped in white cloth, a sharp sensation coursed through him, starting from his fingertips.

“Ugh!”

Feeling as if he were being thinly sliced along his arms and fingers, and his blood was pumping rapidly.

Thump. Thump!

His heart raced, and the world before him twisted and distorted. Ruel’s complexion shifted from red to yellow to pale as he eventually screamed, “Ugh! Damn it!”

Banios, alarmed by Ruel’s collapse, hurried to lift him up. “C-Cassion!”

As Banios rushed out of the treasury, Cassion, unfazed by the urgency, calmly took charge of Ruel and attempted to reassure Banios.

“I will attend to him. Please, do not worry.” Cassion bowed to Banios before moving into the shadows where Fran and Tierra awaited.

***

-A hero must sacrifice themselves.

‘What the hell…!’

Struggling to maintain his fading consciousness amidst the relentless nonsense that echoed in his mind.

“Tierra! Another sedative!”

“Cough!”

As Ruel coughed up blood again, Fran desperately retained her composure, checked the blood packs, and administered another sedative. But still, Ruel’s seizures didn’t stop.

-A hero exists for all.

‘Stop this nonsense!’

Ruel resisted the incessant nonsense.

-Accept it.

‘Shut up!’

-A hero sacrifices themselves.

‘I said shut up!’

Ruel kept resisting the unique power that seemed to want to make him a puppet. Each time, he was met with pain as if he were being sliced with a blade. But Ruel could endure it. He had experienced worse pain than this. He had endured the relentless pain that had swept over him.

‘Say it as much as you want. I am not a hero!’

Ruel finally found a new power within himself, aside from the power of the hero that existed within him. In a corner, as small as a thumbnail, there was a presence that radiated a noble light by itself. He immediately realized that this was the still incomplete unique power. He was used to being in charge. How often had he dealt with his own shadow’s wildness?

-A hero is…

‘Shut your mouth! You’d better just listen to me!’

Ruel used the power of the hero within him to suppress the unique power. The unique power could only be used when the power of the hero was present. Although the power itself was stronger, the hero’s power was superior.

The unique power’s light weakened due to the much larger hero’s power. As soon as he saw the reins, Ruel grabbed them. The pain stopped instantly. The sound also subsided. It was only then that Ruel let out a deep breath.

“…Hah.”

“A-Are you alright now?” Fran finally asked, her voice trembling as Ruel’s shivering began to subsided.

Ruel nodded.

‘This unique power and all of its nonsense are worthless.’

For a power to try to control a person.

As Ruel glanced around, missing the sensation of Leo’s soft fur, a sudden recollection flashed through his mind.

‘Ah.’

He recalled where he had seen that object covered in talisman-like paper.

‘It was in my vault, wasn’t it?’

That ominous object that had always given him an unsettling feeling every time he took out some money. He couldn’t believe that it was the body of that bastard.

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