Episode 512
Chapter 141: The Fall (5)
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap…
Anne kept drumming her index finger relentlessly on the table. Occasionally, she bit her nails, unable to hide her anxiety.
“Damn it, damn it, damn it…!”
Across from her, Mew’s troubled expression was just as clear.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the two sisters had survived in this family by clinging solely to Joshua.
At no point had they ever stood out—neither when they were apprentice riders, nor after becoming full riders, nor even now.
Especially after losing the rank battle against Jin at age fifteen, when they were intermediate students, their fortunes had only declined.
Shiron and Rosa had never once paid them any attention.
Even when the sisters managed what could be called minor achievements, they received no praise; when they made mistakes, they were never harshly scolded either.
Mew and Anne were like air—just like the others of pure blood who failed to show any “exceptional” qualities.
“At least air is needed for something… heh. But we’re just useless padding to make the outstanding brothers shine. Looking back, that’s always been our fate.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden, sis? Is this the time for that kind of sentiment? Big brother’s done for!”
“It’s not that he looks done for—he already is. Which means we’re done too. We’re nothing but chickens about to have their necks wrung.”
“Hah! Mother wouldn’t give up on big brother so easily. She must have some plan. Something, definitely something…”
Unfortunately, Mew and Anne lacked the insight to see what Jin had already perceived.
The sisters sat silently, their faces dark, recalling the day long ago when Luna had slapped them.
—From what I’ve observed, the youngest isn’t exactly a merciful child. You two should be careful from now on.
—…Is there still something left to mock, sister?
—No, I say this because I genuinely worry about you. It feels like things have been going off track for a while, but you’re still my siblings.
The youngest isn’t exactly merciful.
When Luna said that, Mew and Anne were certain Jin could never defeat Joshua.
They should have been more cautious. The sisters always showed more hostility than necessary toward Jin, and the results were never good—now, it was especially dire.
“…Should we go beg the youngest?”
“Anne.”
“You never know. Maybe if we ask her to be our right hand, like we did with big brother, she might accept.”
“We were never his right hand. What benefit did we ever bring big brother? Whenever we messed up, he was the one covering for us. He took us in simply because he pitied us. Maybe he saw himself in us—always trampled on, just like us.”
“Damn it, sis, so you’re saying we should just sit here and wait to die?”
There weren’t many brothers who could claim the vacant position of next head of the family: Runtia, Diffus, Mary, and Jin. The sisters believed Jin had the highest chance.
Anyone who had seen the declaration of the family head would think so. And if Jin became head, they would surely be purged.
Even if another brother took the throne, it would be the same. Jin’s abilities and the legacy of the first head meant he would hold key positions, so there was no escaping the purge.
“…No, we need to find a new umbrella.”
“That’s right! Sis, that’s what we have to do! We can’t just die like this.”
“First, we have to find out why Mother abandoned big brother. Maybe… it’s because of big sister?”
Anne’s eyes widened.
“Big sister?”
“Do you think Father took big sister with him on this trip to the Black Sea for no reason? Maybe he showed her something there to change her mind. Mother must have known that, which is why she abandoned Joshua. It’s frustrating, but big sister is still the best rider.”
“As you said, if big sister declares her intention to become head, no one can oppose her. If she takes the throne… then maybe we can survive.”
Despair sometimes leads people into foolish fantasies. The sisters were speaking nonsense, pushing away the harsh reality.
“Or, right now Runtia is searching for the first head’s legacy, right? If she succeeds, Mother might back Runtia instead of big brother. Runtia probably has a better chance than big sister.”
“Maybe we should visit Mother in a few days…”
Just as they said that, a sudden laugh echoed from behind the table.
“Ahahaha…”
Ssshh!
At the same moment, the sisters drew their swords and took defensive stances.
They were in Mew’s room. Though steeped in despair, they were still riders of Runkandel. The fact that someone had approached so close without them noticing sent chills down their spines.
‘There was no sign at all?’
‘That voice…!’
To their shock, the laughter belonged to someone they knew well.
“I can’t stand this anymore! Ladies, do you really think Joshua is finished?”
Playful eyes, black hair, a delicate frame.
“Irina…?”
Irina Runkandel.
Not only was it surprising that someone had sneaked in without a sound, but that it was Irina was even more shocking.
She was Joshua’s wife.
“When did you get here?”
“How does someone this stupid and useless even wear the rider’s uniform? The Runkandel I knew wasn’t like this.”
Irina had never been so rude to the sisters before.
Runkandel riders rarely married before the family head was decided and the rank battles ended.
The risk of their partners and children being purged or assassinated was too high.
Also, when a new head was born, surviving siblings usually entered arranged marriages by family order.
But Joshua had been the next head for a long time, so he married Irina.
Everyone thought Joshua’s marriage to Irina—who was neither from a famous warrior family nor of notable origin, and lacked any special ability—was just a whim or a fleeting passion.
The wedding was modest and private, barely announced outside.
Afterward, Irina kept a low profile like a shadow. She never meddled in power struggles or showed ambition. Joshua rarely visited her after their honeymoon.
So the family assumed that once Joshua became head, he would find a new bride and Irina would quietly disappear.
The sisters, seeing her suddenly appear now, thought the same.
She was just Joshua’s wife, with no personal power to speak of. Yet here she was, mocking them.
They could kill her on the spot without consequence. With Joshua locked in the underground prison, Irina would soon fall or be banished.
But for some reason…
Their hands gripping their swords wouldn’t move. The sisters instinctively realized Irina was not the insignificant person they thought she was.
If they drew their swords now, it wouldn’t be Irina—the clueless woman she once was—who would fall, but themselves.
“What… are you?”
“What else? Your ladies’ sister-in-law.”
“I’m not asking because I don’t know that!”
“You’re all just noisy yapping anyway. The reason our orphan cherishes you is because of your incompetence.”
Step by step, Irina advanced.
“B-back off.”
“Get lost…!”
Mew and Anne instinctively stepped back as Irina’s shadow grew larger beneath her.
The shadow beneath her feet was unlike her delicate frame.
It looked like a demon, a monster, or something even more terrifying.
The sisters’ breathing grew ragged as they saw the shadow shift.
It felt like an unstoppable darkness was closing in.
They couldn’t bring themselves to swing their swords until Irina was right in front of them. They only trembled, sweating coldly.
“P-please… spare me…!”
The Runkandel riders were begging for their lives, utterly broken.
Just facing her had completely defeated them.
No matter how incompetent, that only meant she wasn’t fit to be the next family head.
They themselves were riders of sword demons who had survived countless hellish battles. They had faced many formidable foes and risked their lives each time.
Even when facing clearly stronger enemies, the sisters had never lost their nerve.
Not when Luna slapped them, not when Mary beat them repeatedly, not when they challenged Jin whenever they could.
But having never faced Shiron’s wrath, they could only be certain that no terror in the world could surpass this.
Irina smiled gently at them.
“There’s no need to be afraid, ladies. I won’t harm you.”
Whoooosh…!
Irina’s massive shadow rose up, beginning to envelop her.
The sisters looked up, tears streaming down their faces as they smiled.
At the moment of despair, it felt like they were grasping the hand of salvation offered by the gods.
“Hahaha…!”
[I am the prophet of calamity.]
Emerging from the shadow, Irina’s form was completely transformed.
The darkness that was her body filled the vast room, and in the center, her face bulged grotesquely like a swollen button, ready to burst.
[Orphans, take my hand.]
Mew and Anne knelt down, trembling hands reaching out toward Ilina. They felt something indescribable—both cold and warm—grasp their hands.
[I will become your parent. Say that you want it.]
“I do….”
At that, the sisters’ shadows shattered like broken glass.
The largest shard was absorbed into Ilina’s embrace.
[The despair you’ve carried as sorrowful orphans will only make you more valuable…]
Slowly, Ilina’s figure shrank back.
Beneath her feet was a shadow that looked ordinary, just as the sisters remembered. They remained kneeling.
“The task of saving our orphan, Joshua, falls to you ladies. You can do it, right?”
For the first time ever, the sisters nodded with a newfound faith.