Chapter 146

“Reunited siblings, huh?”

Even though the banquet was quite high-class, overall, it was just the same old routine we were all familiar with.

So, to some, everything tonight seemed a bit boring.

In the dance hall, well-dressed young men in military uniforms were twirling around with carefully groomed academy girls, heels clicking, skirts flaring, bursting with the energy and vibrancy unique to youth.

The Fourth Prince Joshua was listlessly sipping his champagne.

Meanwhile, Eunice, after a prolonged silence, posed her puzzled question: “The secret of the Bartleyon family?”

Clearly, this was a first for her.

Joshua cast her a glance. “It’s not really a secret in our circles.”

“As a childhood friend of Eleanor and the others, don’t you find it curious that despite the Bartleyon family being so small in numbers, every child who grows up seems to display astonishing talent in the realm of the transcendent?”

Eleanor’s two brothers were the most blatant examples.

The eldest, William, though he died on the battlefield, left a towering reputation in the Military Department, holding countless records. Had he not perished, he would have likely reached the Fifth Stage Legend level even before Irina.

The second son, Lynn, needs no introduction; his prodigious life speaks for itself.

Even Eleanor, at her current age, doesn’t fall far behind her brothers, being a standout in the academy.

Sure, she’s only at the Second Stage now, but she just turned 14 and only became a Transcendent a year ago.

How many devout scions from noble backgrounds are still just passing their First Stage trials at her age?

After all, a child’s body isn’t fully developed yet and can’t withstand the baptism of transcendent power, so generally speaking, age 13 is the recognized best awakening time.

“It’s the strength that comes from bloodline,” Joshua said with a faint smile. “Cases similar to this are extremely rare; if it weren’t for the Bartleyon family’s downfall, I wouldn’t even be able to find a suitable example.”

“Sister Cyrilina’s new subordinate, Xia, has a similar bloodline, but it’s even purer than the Bartleyon family’s. Too bad she guards him like a treasure and won’t let me draw a drop of blood.”

“So for now, I have to settle for second best.”

For reasons unknown, after hearing Joshua’s calm explanation, when Eunice looked at the petite figure in the corner, a hint of pity surfaced in her eyes.

She had already sentenced her in her heart.

“Alright, we don’t need to linger at this banquet too long,” Joshua said, downing his drink. “I still have to head to the Council Hall; Father is awarding honors to the battle heroes returning from their triumphs.”

“I hear my stupid third sister got some kind of stroke of luck and managed to rack up military merits from the border.”

“How amusing.”

Joshua shook his head and slowly made his way towards Eleanor in the corner.

There, Eleanor leaned against the cold wall, deeply bowing her head and staring intently at the smooth, polished marble floor.

Even hours later, she could still feel the lingering shock.

Whenever it became quiet, the image of her maid Serene’s tragic demise flashed before her eyes.

This had caused her immense emotional turmoil.

To her, Serene, who had remained by her side during the hardest times, had become like family.

But just like that, those demon-like people snatched her life away.

Eleanor’s sapphire blue eyes were dull, seemingly without any hope.

What on earth should she do?

Feeling powerless, she covered her face, wanting to cry, yet not a single tear would fall.

Just then, her peripheral vision caught a figure approaching, offering her a handkerchief.

Eleanor quickly composed herself and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I—”

But when she raised her head to see who it was, her expression turned icy in an instant.

“May I invite you for a dance as a conclusion to tonight’s banquet?”

Seeing she had no use for his handkerchief, Joshua smiled nonchalantly, putting it back into his pocket, then extending his hand towards Eleanor.

It seemed he merely wanted to invite her for a dance, but that outstretched hand also felt like it carried another meaning.

Behind him, Eunice shot a glancing, suggestive threat.

With the Mosgra Family entirely controlling the lifeblood of the Bartleyon Family, even the Marquis’ life rested in their hands.

With such insurance, Eunice didn’t believe Eleanor had the guts to defy her commands.

“…”

Feeling Eunice’s gaze, Eleanor was engulfed with despair.

She knew very well.

If she accepted the olive branch offered by the Fourth Prince, what awaited her would surely be dark human experimentation, leaving her unable to walk away from the lab in peace for the rest of her life.

But if she didn’t do this, what about her father, unconscious in bed, her missing sister-in-law, and her brother, whose life and death remained uncertain on the border?

This was a choice.

A choice to barter her own life for the survival of her family.

Yet Eleanor understood all too well that making deals with these demonic figures was merely drinking poison to quench thirst.

If she accepted the Fourth Prince’s proposal, could her father and brother truly live without harm?

Just thinking about it was utterly impossible.

In an instant, Eleanor found herself in a dilemma.

Her dim eyes grew even emptier, her wrist hidden in her sleeve trembling slightly.

Seeing this, Joshua frowned.

He hadn’t expected that even now, the girl was still dreaming of reuniting with her family.

“Let me provide a piece of information,” he suddenly said, “After returning from the border, Felix found me and shared something very interesting.”

“He seemed to have seen a familiar name on the memorial for the deceased in Orlen City.”

“Guess whose name it was?”

The Fourth Prince’s words pierced Eleanor’s heart like a sudden jolt.

She stared blankly at the man before her, her lips trembling slightly, yet not a word came out.

If there was anything that had kept her going until now, it was her second brother, who was exiled to the border.

She had always believed that one day, her powerful brother would regain his strength, return to the family, and rescue everyone from the depths of despair. Eleanor had lived with this hope, using it as her motivation.

But at this moment, feeling the certainty in Joshua’s eyes, she suddenly wanted to cover her ears.

As if by not hearing it, she could avoid facing that reality.

Yet no matter how much she tried to escape, reality remained.

Joshua slowly continued, as if about to shatter the last traces of hope that resided in her heart.

“That’s right, the name is… Lynn Bartleon.”

“No… no.”

Eleanor sobbed, covering her ears, shaking her head helplessly.

If it weren’t for the wall behind her, she might have crumbled and fallen.

A voice echoed in her mind, mocking her year-and-a-half-long efforts and her belief that the Bartleyon family had long since ceased to exist.

!

The cracks within her heart creaked ominously.

It felt like if things continued this way, Eleanor’s spirit would completely shatter.

Brother William is dead.

Brother Lynn is also dead.

Until now, the entire family consists of just my father and me.

Eleanor, oh Eleanor, the hope you buried deep within has become a subject of ridicule in others’ eyes.

Now that it’s come to this, should you still resist the fate that has long been determined?

Silent tears streamed down her cheeks, yet Eleanor made no move to wipe them away.

Seeing this, Joshua felt a tinge of annoyance.

“Death cannot be reversed,” he said, his expression void. “Life is a precious thing; for those who are gone, all we can do is remember.”

“And because of that, we need to seize the moment, cherish those still alive, don’t we?”

He implied something deeper.

“So, what’s your answer?”

Gazing at the silent black-haired girl, Joshua once again extended his hand.

Exchanging her life for her father’s life was Eleanor’s only course of action now.

“I…”

The girl slowly raised her hand.

Seeing this, Joshua’s lips curled into a slight smile.

Having someone willing to become a test subject without resistance would significantly increase the success rate of many processes.

However, the very next second, his expression froze.

The hand Eleanor raised did not reach out to him; instead, a slender dagger appeared from nowhere.

Under Joshua’s shocked gaze, she unhesitatingly pressed the dagger against her throat, slowly lifting her head.

Her eyes were red, yet her expression was filled with tragic defiance.

“Even in death, I won’t give in to your wishes.”

The losses of her maid Serene and brother Lynn had weighed too heavily on her, stripping her of the will to continue living.

This sudden scene drew everyone’s attention, plunging the entire hall into silence.

“Put down the knife!” Eunice’s face turned pale as she whispered, “Think of your father! Don’t you care about his life?!”

Clearly, she hadn’t expected Eleanor to go to such lengths as to air this embarrassing matter in public.

“If my father were still conscious, he would surely support my decision.”

Even in death, she would uphold the dignity of being a noble.

Not reducing herself to a pitiful experiment, a puppet to be manipulated.

Upon hearing this, Eunice’s expression turned even more grim.

She cautiously looked to Joshua. “Your Highness, I—”

“No need,” Joshua shot a glance at Eleanor. “I understand your game.”

“Too bad I’ve never cared about reputation.”

“Seize her! Arrest this attempted assassin of the prince!”

He suddenly raised his voice.

In the next moment, four guards appeared out of thin air.

An invisible transcendent power instantly restricted Eleanor’s movements.

Four Third Stage Transcendents… Despair filled Eleanor’s eyes in an instant.

“This world is full of helplessness,” Joshua stated, gazing at the immobile black-haired girl. “Sometimes, it’s not about what you want to do; you can’t always act on whims.”

Can’t even take my own life?

Eleanor felt utterly defeated, slowly closing her eyes to brace herself for her final fate.

“Pshht—”

“Pshht, pshht, pshht—”

In an instant, the piercing sound of flesh being pierced echoed endlessly as countless black threads shot in like arrows from all directions.

“She can certainly do whatever she wishes; this is the tolerance of a brother towards her willful actions.”

“Do you have any objections, Prince Joshua?”