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“Creeeak… thud.”

The doorknob turned but got stuck on the latch.

“…”

Vivian held her breath.

She couldn’t look away from the turning doorknob.

Her heart raced as fear surged within her.

It was terrifying to even ponder who might be twisting the doorknob.

The doorknob paused for a moment, frozen in place.

Could it be over just like this?

-Creak, creak, creak, creak!

“…Ugh!”

A presence on the other side of the door was shaking the doorknob, clearly announcing itself.

Vivian unconsciously kept stepping backward.

-Thud!

She bumped into the desk, and the flickering candle went out from the impact.

Complete darkness surrounded her.

Only the doorknob remained in her anxious, flickering gaze.

“…W-who’s there?”

Vivian bravely asked through her fear.

But surely the other person could tell from her voice how terrified she was.

There was a long, dreadful silence before finally, someone spoke.

‘…Miss Vivian, it’s Brinden.’

A smooth, gentle voice.

Yet Vivian felt an unshakeable terror.

Kyle’s warning echoed back in her mind.

Vivian steadied her heavy breathing and asked loudly, “W-who told you to come at this hour? Where are the soldiers?”

‘The soldiers have been temporarily sent away. I’m here to share a matter that must not be spoken of before anyone else…’

“…What could warrant such rudeness in coming to see me?”

‘…It’s about the traitor from the Rondore family.’

He continued calmly.

‘I know who is after your life, Miss Vivian…’

Vivian’s fingertips began to tremble.

This was not the kind of conversation she should be having with Brinden.

Just days ago, he had been shouting at her in anger.

What on earth had changed for him to be acting this way?

‘…I know, Miss Vivian. You doubt me. But… now I understand. My position entirely depends on you.’

“…”

‘…It’s late, but I wish to tell you the names of the traitors and pledge my loyalty. I am taking a significant risk by doing this… Please understand.’

“…”

‘If you listen to what I have to say just once, you can eliminate all the rats in this castle at once. Trust me.’

“…”

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t tempted by the proposal.

The chance to root out all traitors connected to Brinden and turn the table heavily in her favor.

This was an opportunity to execute multiple traitors and solidify her standing.

…Assuming everything Brinden said was true.

However, regardless of Brinden’s assertions, Vivian’s mind was still ringing with Kyle’s words.

His voice warning her to be careful at night echoed repeatedly.

Given how they’d only fought lately, and since she’d heard that advice after their fights, it wasn’t exactly a moment to completely trust Kyle’s warnings. Yet somehow, he was the only one she could think of.

“…Come back tomorrow.”

Vivian finally declared.

Even if it hadn’t been Kyle’s words, she would have said the same thing.

‘By tomorrow… I might be dead. I told you I came here knowing the risks…’

Brinden’s voice seemed to carry a sense of urgency as he presented the possibility of his own death.

If that statement were true, it was genuine emotion flowing out unguardedly. If it were a lie, then Brinden was a natural-born actor.

But Vivian stood firm.

“…I won’t say it a second time. And you’re surely aware that it’s rude for a man to visit a woman’s chamber at such a late hour.”

‘…’

After that, no response came.

Though she was terrified, Vivian gathered her courage.

She stepped away from the desk and slowly walked toward the door.

Listening intently to the sounds from beyond the door.

If only she could cast a witch’s spell at this moment, wouldn’t it be easier?

To discern a person’s lies, one has to look into their eyes—a major flaw of the spells she knew.

-…Crack.

Just as Vivian reached the door, a soft whisper came from the other side.

‘…A woman? Pfft.’

It was a voice dripping with malice.

-Bang!!

At that instant, something slammed hard against the doorknob.

Vivian jumped and collapsed to the floor at the sound that shattered the night’s silence.

In moments, the terror of death and helplessness washed over her.

-Bang!!

Something slammed against the doorknob once more.

She slowly began to crawl away, her empty mind praying that the doorknob could hold steady.

-Bang!!

But her hopes came crashing down.

-Crack…

The heavy iron doorknob shattered and fell.

-Creeeak…

The door began to slowly open.

Standing cloaked in dark clothing, several burly men emerged from the shadows.

In the center was Brinden the treasurer, casting a cold gaze at the fallen Vivian.

“…You damned girl.”

Brinden muttered.

His tone indicated he no longer regarded her as someone above him.

“Even a rat will bite when cornered.”

“…Hah… hah…”

“I didn’t want to resort to this. But… you’ve left me no choice.”

“…Hah… hah…”

“When the new lord arrives, what choice do I have but to pledge loyalty? If I remove you, I might receive a generous reward.”

Vivian, forgetting her dignity, crawled back with her hands on the ground.

Four assassins approached slowly, swords glinting in the moonlight.

Brinden glanced at Vivian and clicked his tongue.

“…If I had more time, I could have taken a bite. But such a pity there’s no time.”

He then ordered the assassins.

“…I’ll return to my chamber. Handle this cleanly and disappear.”

The assassins nodded, as if acknowledging his command.

Brinden said this and departed.

Left behind, Vivian trembled in fear.

The sound of her own breathing echoed in her ears.

Had death ever been this close?

…Her last thought might have been that moment engulfed in the raging flame.

In that powerless moment, Vivian still remembered the hand extended toward her.

But now, she couldn’t hope for that hand anymore.

The situation was far too different from then.

She couldn’t even face him directly now.

Having earned his hatred to such an extent, there was no way he would come to save her.

Hadn’t she said it herself? Not to protect her.

She had to take responsibility for that.

“…Hah… Ugh…”

Vivian clutched her chest.

Is this it?

Had she dreamt too big?

Was all her effort just for the sake of dying like this?

Had she hurt Kyle only to meet such an end?

The assassins drew closer, saying.

“…As long as you don’t scream, we’ll end your life painlessly.”

Another.

Back in such a horrible situation.

Powerless to do anything once again.

She thought she had grown and moved forward, but in the end, here she was.

She had made a list of those to kill with the witch’s power.

She had cultivated her allies.

Setting up a foundation by taking in talent… but this was her end.

Lonely and shabby.

Pathetic and powerless.

…Vivian whispered to her last bastion without realizing it.

“…Kyle.”

If this was the end, she wanted to see him for some reason.

“…Stop.”

At that moment, a chilling voice echoed in her ear.

“…”

…No, that can’t be.

There was no reason for that.

There was no situation where that could happen.

Yet Vivian slowly opened her eyes and stared at the door.

Kyle stood there.

Proving himself as a Northern man with his large frame.

He had drawn his two-handed sword, resting it on his shoulder.

Even the strap proving he’d slain a dragon.

In his mighty presence, the assassins stood frozen, doing nothing.

The boy who had vowed never to be ignored by adults was right there.

“…No one move.”

Even in this moment with no reason to protect her, he appeared.

****

“…Foolish bastards.”

I stared at the Punishment Unit members walking away, confused by Brinden’s orders.

They were clearly gonna get punished when they returned.

No mercy would be shown.

Even if it was Brinden’s command, I never expected the guard would leave so easily.

“…Sigh.”

That said, what could I expect from rabble?

They were just rookies who had recently started protecting Vivian, not even regular troops.

…But whatever the case, I couldn’t make a move now.

The chance to step on the tails of the rats was upon me.

I quietly sat in the corner of the hallway.

During the day, it would be easy to spot me, but at night, it was dark and people weren’t paying attention.

Anyone approaching Vivian’s chamber would easily notice.

…I had been camping out here every night for several days.

Brinden took a moment to catch his breath, and then through the window, figures dressed in dark clothes began to crawl up.

“…”

I tightly closed my eyes and steadied my heart.

Assassins, it was hard to believe.

As anger brewed within me, I wanted to kill them all right then and there.

But even now, I was still gathering my thoughts…

Why did I need to save Vivian? What was the reason?

Just a little more torment, and I’d find the answer, but I still didn’t know.

…No, perhaps I had already noticed, but was just denying it childishly.

Was it really a curse?

And if this was indeed a curse, should I be swept away by this emotion?

To throw my body into danger for something without reason or reward, and for something that truly isn’t my emotion—was that wise?

Why did I have to take the rough path?

Why should I keep crossing dangerous lines to save Vivian, who would die if left alone?

Without her, there would be no more struggle or such worries.

My head kept telling me not to save her. It reasoned that it was just foolishness to do so.

Yet my heart kept saying otherwise. It didn’t provide a reason.

Lost in conflict, I remained hidden in the shadows, watching everything they did.

Brinden urging Vivian to open the door. The greed and anger surfacing in his expression. The strength he possessed entering the assassins’ hands. The way they broke through the door.

-Bang!!

Ultimately, the door couldn’t hold and broke down, and Brinden, who would see Vivian, spoke.

“…You damned girl.”

My nerves surged.

“…Hah… hah…”

As the door opened, Vivian’s terrified breaths reached my ears.

I could no longer contain myself and stood up from my spot.

Then I walked slowly toward where Brinden finished his line.

Brinden, as if savoring his victory, was completely unaware of my approach.

“…I’ll be back in my room, finish her off cleanly and disappear.”

As Brinden spat his last words, he turned and walked away, facing me as I emerged from the shadows.

“…Ugh.”

Brinden couldn’t even take a breath.

He looked at me, then at my two-handed sword, and froze in stunned silence.

I coldly looked down at him as he remained rigid and said.

“If you run, I’ll make your death agonizing at the execution ground… just so you know.”

“…”

Silently, Brinden slumped down.

I made my way to the door.

Everything unfolded in my line of sight.

The four burly men approaching Vivian.

Vivian crouched in the center of the room, frightened with her eyes tightly shut.

“…Kyle.”

She hadn’t seen me yet, but whispered my name softly.

Seeing that made me close my eyes again.

…How could I possibly just stand by after witnessing that?

How foolishly had I acted, swept up by her form?

And I was attempting to tread the same path again.

…No more. I couldn’t take it anymore.

I didn’t want to watch her die, but I wouldn’t let myself be played the fool anymore either.

“…Stop.”

I declared.

Perhaps they hadn’t realized their actions had been found out, as the assassins halted in their tracks.

“No one move.”

With those words, I closed the broken door and set a chair against it to block it.

The assassins seemed utterly flummoxed.

After all, they were also just people behind the masks.

There’s no way they weren’t tense about trying to kill the lord of Roktana, the head of the Rondore family.

If even a tiny bit of my presence shifted, they would fall into chaos.

They might have been influenced by the strange rumors about me.

“…I’m not here to fight you yet. But the first one to make a move will die without question.”

I warned the assassins.

“…What?”

One of the assassins asked back at me, confused.

I went towards Vivian, who was staring blankly at me.

The assassins watched my actions, bewildered, as if the idea of not having to fight was sweetly enticing to them.

The feat of having slain a dragon had become my strength.

The assassins parted, giving me passage.

I squatted down in front of Vivian.

“…Isn’t that a tear?”

I gently wiped the corners of her eyes.

In reality, what oozed out was ambiguous enough not to be called tears.

“…Kyle?”

Vivian reached up to touch my face, as if confirming my identity.

It was a movement free of hesitation or shyness.

But as if realizing I had come, her expression crumpled.

Whether in relief or surprise… her fear gradually faded from her face.

But I shattered her expectations with my next words.

“Should I protect you?”

“…What?”

Vivian’s eyes searched mine.

I sought her gaze steadily and asked again.

“Should I protect you?”

“…”

“…Have you forgotten? You said I didn’t have to protect you.”

Vivian’s face wore disbelief at hearing such words in this situation.

But even still, she couldn’t come up with a rebuttal.

She surely understood that my words were not incorrect.

To her silence, I continued speaking.

“…I must have been mistaken.”

Then, I conveyed my honest feelings.

“Perhaps… I believed we could be friends.”

“…Kyle.”

“Yes, our families are inexorably intertwined. But I didn’t take part in the war, and neither did you. So I wanted to think that we bore no ill will towards each other. I hoped one day you’d understand that.”

Vivian closed her eyes tightly, squeezing out her last bit of courage and defiance.

“…How can they not be connected… How can you think such a foolish thing…”

I found her in this moment quite admirable.

Had she collapsed here, pleading for mercy to me, I would’ve found it less appealing.

I might have even felt disappointment.

But since this wasn’t the case, I was relieved.

I continued.

“The problem is, Vivian, this thought didn’t originate in my head.”

“…What?”

“It was your mother’s.”

“…”

I took a deep breath.

Then I spoke.

“But now I understand. You were right. That was a foolish thought, and we are ultimately enemies. There’s no way we can be free from that relationship.”

The assassins’ demeanor softened. Vivian’s fear intensified.

“…So, Vivian. No more good intentions. From now on, I must take my price. I expect just rewards for every action I take.”

As my words concluded, Vivian’s eyes flickered slightly.

She seemed about to say something, her lips quivering.

Confusion and doubt intertwined within her stare, seeming unable to accept my words.

As if she believed I didn’t seek any price at all.

To that doubt, I scoffed.

-Swoop.

Then I stood up.

I stepped aside, allowing the assassins a path to Vivian.

“No need to fight, then.”

With that brief remark for the assassins, I acted as if everything had concluded.

However, my heart thudded in an unknown rhythm.

This time, I wished with all my heart that Vivian would yield to me.

Vivian frowned and gently reached out a hand toward me.

Her hand lightly grasped mine.

…My heart melted so easily at that touch.

With that, I positioned myself again between Vivian and the assassins.

“I’m saving your life. I think I deserve a reward, don’t you?”

Upon my words, Vivian paused for a moment.

Her previously wavering gaze dimmed into deep resignation.

Slowly, she spoke.

“…So?”

“…”

“…What do you want? Sending me home… that won’t do. I can’t die.”

“…”

“Apart from that… I’ll listen to anything. What do you need…? New clothes? New armor? New lodging?”

From the moment I entered, I had wanted only one thing as a price.

This had already been my intention up to this point.

Perhaps from the very instant I stepped into this room, I had accepted that maid’s claim.

So I whispered to her what I desired.

“…A kiss.”

Vivian’s expression became a blank slate.

“……..What?”

She seemed to think I was joking, and so couldn’t find a rebuttal.

I didn’t even bother retracting my words.

In the next moments, her face reflected countless emotions.

Anger and confusion, nausea and hatred, bewilderment and distrust, and so on…

As she displayed all those emotions, she reacted fervently.

“Are you insane?”

“…Don’t you like it?”

“I-I hate it. How can you and I—”

I instinctively cut off her words and whispered.

“-But that’s what I want.”

“…What?”

“…Because you hate it.”

That one line completely froze Vivian.

I gently brushed her cheek.

“I must have treated you too kindly all this time.”

I even recalled the moment Vivian had departed for her teaching, having asked if she had loosened her hips.

“Vivian, I thought about it…”

“…K-Kyle…”

…If I was to protect her, and if she were to run into another man… then I’d have to trample on her purity.

That’s what I delivered to her.

Assuming I couldn’t resist this emotion or curse… at the very least, I must not be a fool.

It felt as though to protect her, I had to demand this price.

 

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