On seeing David, and the way the guards responded, Alex instantly knew.
After all, that was the way they once respected and addressed him.
"Your Profession... was it—?"
"King," David answered before the word left Alex’s mouth.
A realization dawned on Alex.
"That’s why she was celebrating," Alex muttered.
He had thought that Rosaline, with her heavy jewelry and red dress, was celebrating his fall. Apparently, she was celebrating the ascension of her true son.
David raised a brow at Alex.
But then Alex immediately grabbed David by the arm.
Which made the knights react, but Alex stopped them with a raised hand.
"Help me, brother. Please, tell Father it’s a mistake." Alex squeezed his brother’s hand tight. The orb made a mistake. I am not a negative profession; I don’t want to die."
David took a look at Alex’s pleading face, and for a slight second, Xander noticed his expression soften.
But then David looked back at the guards.
His gaze hardened.
"The Monarchy cannot be seen in association with a Negative profession," he pulled his hand away.
"As it’s a mandated tradition, you will be hanged at the gallows." David took a significant step back. His eyes peeled from his brother. "I’d advise that you treasure the time you have left."
David pushed the doors open and stepped into the throne room.
Alex stood there, hands reaching for a brother he had shared so many laughs with.
He could no longer hold back. "No, no, you can’t do this to me. I... I am... your brother. What about the good times we shared? What about our dreams?" Alex pushed forward, but the knight aggressively shoved him back.
Alex fell to the ground.
The knight chuckled as he turned to his colleague, "Hey, I got a point for that shove."
"Oh, really, the system has begun rewarding points against negative professions? Now I wish I had done that."
Because of the merging of memories, Xander knew what was happening.
Negative professions were allowed the grace of twenty-four hours, but as time drew near, that window of freedom would begin to close. And the system starts to reward people for their terrible treatment of negative professions.
The knights turned to Alex, looking at him like a piece of fresh meat to farm system points.
But just before they acted, another voice was heard. "Enough!"
All eyes turned. "Princess Linda." The knights bowed respectfully.
Linda paid them no mind. She hurried forward, knees kissing the ground as she grabbed Alex into an embrace.
"My little fruitcake." She held him tighter to her chest. "You have suffered so much and so unfairly."
Those words—the words he wanted to hear all along—broke the dam, and the tears fell as he embraced her back.
However, Xander saw this, and an uneasy feeling gripped him.
...
It was late at night.
Back of the palace walls.
Alex, wearing simpler clothes wrapped in a huge black coat, mounted a black horse.
The horse snorted sharply, rattling, but Alex quickly grabbed the reins, silencing it with a sharp, disciplined pull.
They couldn’t afford to be noisy.
Alex looked at the old, long castle walls, brightened by the torchlights.
There was once upon a time when the sight made him proud.
Once upon a time.
"Don’t worry, my little fruitcake," Linda steered her horse his way. "When we reach the countryside, you’ll be safe with Baron Bones."
Alex nodded.
This had been Linda’s idea.
—To run and hide in the countryside—until things calmed down, or until she was able to convince the king otherwise.
The rules allowed that an individual of a negative profession may have 24 hours of freedom.
But after, death was all that awaited them.
This was how the peace of the country—the world—had been maintained.
Together with them were two of Linda’s personal guards. Both of them were also dressed in a manner that would not draw attention.
Alex could not get any help from him; he had lost all authority.
"Eyah!!!" Linda flicked the reins, and the horse moved.
Alex and the two guards followed behind.
Meanwhile, from a slight window up the castle, a man stared at their exit.
Leopold.
"Leave no traces." He spoke lightly, and a shadow flicked on the wall behind him.
...
From the looks of it, the sky was gradually getting brighter.
By now, they were a significant distance from the capital.
"Through these woods, there is a river path ahead," Linda spoke up, cloak breezing in the wind. "The baron waits for us there."
Alex nodded.
On arriving, they dismounted.
Ahead of Alex’s group was a two-horse carriage at rest.
Four men stood in front, obviously in the middle of a conversation.
A pair wore leather armor, and the second pair wore cloaks—most of their features covered.
One of the men in leather armor handed over a small pouch to the one in a cloak.
The cloaked man weighed it with a hand, and then he nodded in satisfaction.
Alex might have been over pampered, but he still had the basics as required of a person of high birth.
From the look of things, they just had a deal.
The cloaked men looked once towards Alex’s party and then suddenly vanished.
Alex’s eyes did not peel away, but he could swear that he did not know how they vanished into the woods. "Mana users," he muttered.
He looked up at the high trees, but aside from the gentle sway of the leaves, no trace remained.
He turned to Linda, hoping to know if she had seen the same thing.
But she paid him no mind.
Instead, she walked towards the carriage.
Alex subconsciously followed along.
As he did, the two guards followed a few paces behind him.
One of the men in leather armor stepped forward.
Up close, Alex had a better view.
A middle-aged man of average height.
He had a build and a scarred face that spoke volumes of a lifetime of service.
A well-wheeled whip sat at his side. And his eyes darted around like a businessman awaiting profit.
"Princess," the man bowed politely.
"Cornerstone." She replied, accepting his bow.
Then Cornerstone’s eyes went to Alex.
"Is this the product?"
"Product!?" Alex echoed his words.
Linda’s guards stepped forward, grabbing Alex by his arms.