Chapter 21 - I Want To Live (1)

TL: Kay (kkrivulet)

“If you don’t want to be torn to death, get out of here right now.”

If Alicia had known this would happen, she would have killed all of them when she had the power in the past.

But after that day, the power disappeared, and she became a slender woman with no strength.

She had no power left to kill anyone.

For now, she could only try to protect herself by pretending to be strong. She was like a cat that had inflated its body size.

[T/N: When threatened, a cat arches its back and puffs up its tail to become twice its normal size to try to scare off its opponent.]

“I don’t understand. Why, of all things, were you given that kind of power? Power should be given to someone who can use it properly…….”

“Is it worth your life to talk about it in front of me without running away?”

Alicia showed off to Velita as she picked up the dagger that had fallen.

The wound was pressed against her tightly held hand, and blood continued to drip, but Alicia continued to struggle and endure the pain.

No one came into the room, even though she had deliberately made a fuss.

Velita’s influence seemed to have reached more of the royal palace than she thought.

‘Can I run away?’ 

Although retired, Velita was once a knight, and there were two more people in the room beside her.

As long as they were blocking the exit, the chances of escaping were low.

She could only wait and hope the maid returned quickly.

Everything would be over if Velita noticed that she actually had no power.

“Think again, Princess. You are Neinstein’s only bloodline–”

“Stop the obvious lies. I’m not the only one who’s alive.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I hate to admit it, but my mother isn’t the only one.”

But did they really all die?

“The dirty Neintein’s royal blood is running through my body. In other words, if any one of them is still alive, you can make as many necklaces as you want.”

There was a higher probability that someone of the royal family was alive rather than her mother.

The imperial forces, including Cabellenus, did not know the faces of the royal family.

“Don’t be ridiculous. If the others survived, why would I look for you?”

“We’ll see if it’s nonsense. So who survived? Perto? Christa? Or…… Elena?”

The moment she spat out the last name, Velita’s eyes shook briefly.

Alicia did not miss the moment.

“As expected, Elena is alive.”

“What are you talking about? Princess Elena is–”

“Elena’s maid was her cousin. And, the two looked very much alike. At first glance, anyone would be mistaken.”

Elena was the most beautiful of her siblings and was also quick-witted. She would have devised a way to get out of the situation in a short amount of time.

“Stop the weird delusions. Princess Elena is already dead.”

“If she’s dead, why did you try to kill me?”

“I just meant to fulfil my duty as a Neinstein.”

“No, that’s no excuse. You, alone, couldn’t have brought people together.”

No matter how close Velita was to the queen, she lacked the justification to confront Cabellenus. A clearer justification was required to unite the rebels.

For example, a member of royalty from a fallen kingdom.

Alicia was the only Neinstein royalty currently known.

There was no other person as suitable as her to put up a cause.

Nevertheless, despite the danger, Velita had tried to assassinate Alicia.

Then the answer was obvious.

It meant that, even if it was not Alicia, there was another person who could be the moral support of the rebels.

“It doesn’t matter whether you admit it or not. I don’t care about Elena’s life or death.”

Alicia still remembered her half-sister, who looked at her like she was less than a beast.

But that did not mean she had any intentions of forcing Elena out and killing her, who had barely survived.

The situation was finally becoming stable.

If the rebels were revealed in the midst of this, there would only be another bloodbath.

Neinstein had already shed enough blood.

There was no need to bleed any more.

“Instead, just tell her these words. The days when everything was at your disposal are over. Don’t think about it and live quietly. Be thankful to me for saving your life.”

“Thank you? You’re really brazen. Do you know why Princess Elena became this way? It’s all because of you.”

“Why is that because of me?”

“Because you didn’t protect her.”

Alicia sighed deeply at Velita, who repeated what she said like a parrot.

“I have no obligation to protect her.”

“Why not? Considering what you’ve been enjoying, it’s a natural obligation.”

“You’re the delusional one. You’re drunk on the glory of the past that never existed, like a foal running wild while chasing its tail.”

“Watch your words. If you keep saying such mean words with your mouth, you’ll end up just like her.”

Velita approached Alicia with a full smile on her face.

Alicia’s eyes trembled slightly.

“……what?”

“I still remember her. When I remember the way she begged for forgiveness like a dog, I keep laughing, and I feel better.”

“You…….”

“Oh, don’t you like this joke? If not, you must be ashamed to remember that time. At that time, not only the woman but the princess did that too. I guess you’re really mother and daughter, on all fours, haa–”

Velita, who was biting her lips cheekily, stopped talking and gave a long sigh.

She roughly swept her hair. Her expression was so cold. It looked nothing like before.

“The princess’s strength hasn’t returned.”

“What are you saying all of a sudden?”

Alicia asked with a fierce gaze in her eyes.

It was difficult.

She expected that she wouldn’t have much time, but it was quicker than she thought.