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“It’s a miracle.”

Scholar Krellyn, who had been checking Kyle’s pulse, let out a noticeable sigh of relief.

It was one thing for his standing in the Rondore Family to be completely ruined, but keeping him alive was a whole different matter.

With the Korod Family’s main force, the Order of the Eight Knights, crumbling, they could no longer back Krellyn, especially with the war against them already ignited.

The entire kingdom was anticipating this.

Everyone knew that if the Korod Family clashed with the Rondore Family, the Korod Family would lose.

Having lost their main force, the Korod Family’s situation was so foolish regarding the reason for war that the soldiers’ morale must have been plummeting.

As a result, Krellyn, having laid aside all ambitions, was channeling all his strength to just keep his own skin intact.

And the first step in that plan was to ensure Kyle’s recovery.

Once Kyle recovered, Krellyn would have to leave the Rondore Family and return home, but it seemed that Krellyn was starting to accept that future now.

Every chance he got, he monitored Kyle, perhaps to finish beautifully with the Rondore Family or to raise a successor.

Today, as he checked on Kyle, Krellyn turned to Vivian.

“His temperature and color are returning, and he’s sweating now… We’ve passed the critical point. He doesn’t seem to be vomiting anymore, right? It looks like we can just keep an eye on him… Miss Vivian?”

“…”

Vivian blinked her dazed eyes and looked at Krellyn.

As Kyle’s strength returned, Vivian was noticeably becoming more haggard.

That was to be expected.

She was bearing Kyle’s pain in his stead.

But even with her mind foggy and her body weary, seeing Kyle recover made her smile.

Kyle mustering his strength was something worth being proud of.

It was a hundred times better than the helpless moments when she could only watch him.

“…You did well.”

Unable to reveal that Kyle’s recovery was due to her magic, Vivian spoke to Scholar Krellyn.

Krellyn nodded knowingly and left the room.

…

To Jade Allen.

First and foremost, I deeply apologize for the events that have transpired.

The wounds and humiliations inflicted upon our guest, Kyle Allen, are utterly unacceptable, and I understand this is a grave situation that goes against the honor and principles of the Rondore Family.

While Kyle was staying on our lands, the responsibility to ensure his safety clearly lay with me.

However, Kyle was ensnared in the Korod Family’s treacherous and absurd actions, and I know that this has caused great pain to the Allen Family as well.

I acknowledge that this incident is the result of the Rondore Family failing the basic trust we should have upheld towards the Allen Family, and I accept full responsibility for that.

The Rondore Family will not take this matter lightly. We have already declared war on the Korod Family, and we swear we will not stop until this issue is completely resolved and justice is served.

We will hold them accountable for the violence and insults they have inflicted.

I hope this letter conveys our heartfelt apologies to the Allen Family. I also promise to spare no support in the treatment and recovery of Kyle.

Unbeaten Knight Jade Allen.

I still cannot forget what you did to our family.

Your actions forced me to build up our family alone, and the pain and loneliness that came with it remain within me to this day.

However, putting that grudge aside, I clarify that this incident concerning Kyle was not of our making.

I sincerely hope misunderstandings do not deepen.

…I must clearly state that Kyle Allen’s return home is not a possibility.

Vivian Rondore.

-Thunk.

As Vivian finished the letter, she had to admit that the last sentence had slipped in her personal desires.

She had debated whether to include it or not dozens of times.

In the end, she chose to include the sentence.

She didn’t want to hear that they wanted Kyle back because of this incident.

No, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to hear it.

She wouldn’t mind hearing it, but she didn’t want to engage in bothersome bickering over a matter with a predetermined answer.

Kyle couldn’t go back.

He had said he wouldn’t go back anyway.

Thus, there was no longer any need for conversation on the matter.

Vivian sealed the letter with wax and extinguished the candle.

By now, it was already late.

And as usual, when darkness enveloped the fort, Elena was sitting by the window.

“So, the one to kill is Count Korod, right?”

Vivian nodded.

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

“It’ll take some time. He has to die a natural death, otherwise the rumor will spread that he was assassinated.”

It didn’t matter much, but she wanted to avoid being entangled in troublesome matters.

The best result would be for the count, the last pillar supporting the Korod Family, to topple, followed by the unconditional surrender of the Korod Family—it would be the most peaceful outcome.

If the rumors were played just right, one might even spread the word that God had punished the Count severely.

“That’s actually perfect. Because during that time, my position will only get stronger.”

War was the last resort for nobles to assert their will, but for the victors, it was also a gamble that brought immense honor.

Though it hadn’t been planned, Vivian knew this incident would only solidify her standing.

Eliminating her rivals who had targeted her.

Establishing the hierarchy between the Rondore Family and the Korod Family.

…Vengeance for the incident concerning Kyle.

It was like catching three birds with one stone.

All Vivian had to do was spread this war further.

As the outcome of the war was predetermined, it would be good if it circulated more among the people.

Finishing up her last tasks for the day, Vivian let out a slow sigh.

Vivian approached Kyle and slowly began to undress.

Elena, sensing it was time for her to leave, jumped out the window.

Now, Vivian nestled into Kyle’s embrace, a place she had grown too familiar with.

His body, which had recently begun to warm up again, felt very reassuring.

Resting her head on his arm, she laid her hand on his chest.

…Perhaps this was what it felt like to be a couple.

A future that could never be realized, though.

Before she knew it, Vivian realized she was somewhat obsessed with Kyle Allen.

And at such times, she rationalized her feelings with familiar excuses.

The price of her family’s lives.

A political guest.

His role as her most useful tool.

…An old friend with whom she shared a bit of camaraderie.

It wasn’t that he was the most precious person in her life, but for those reasons, she wished for his recovery.

-Peck.

Vivian softly kissed Kyle’s cheek.

“…Sleep well, Kyle.”

And then, licking his blood, she reopened the wounds from previous injuries, feeding him her own blood while whispering spells into his ear.

****

-Wham!

-Thud! Thud!

I saw familiar stones flying through the air.

” die! die! You devil’s spawn!!”

“Kyle Allen!! You must die!!”

How many years had it been?

I stood amidst an angry crowd, watching a young boy pummeled by stones.

It was a memory from when I first entered Roktana.

But this whole situation felt a bit different from my recollections.

The boy on the horse was crying and huddling in fear, unable to muster any spirit of defiance.

He was whimpering, searching for his mother and father.

I had never acted so pathetically.

Frustration bubbled up and I shouted,

“Fight back, you idiot!”

But whether my voice didn’t reach him or it was drowned out by the massive clamor of the crowd, the boy just kept crying.

Countless memories swept by like a slideshow in my mind.

The moment the witch’s curse was cast, the little boy had covered his ears in terror, and when he was first imprisoned in the dungeons, he lamented about being lonely and hungry.

“Quit whining.”

But the boy didn’t listen.

When maids and soldiers in the Rondore Castle gossiped behind his back, the boy was too busy fleeing in terror, and from the moment he entered the Punishment Unit, he couldn’t stop trembling at night.

“Just don’t run away!”

Seeing that pathetic state made me grit my teeth.

The urge to tell him to just die for curling up like that rose to the back of my throat.

…But at the same time, I felt a tearing pain in my heart as I watched.

It was true that the boy seemed like a fool, but I couldn’t shake off the undeniable feeling of pity and compassion for him.

That boy would eventually face the day when he was beaten by Balron, Willas, and Martin.

Those fools could just lose, why did they have to get beaten down?

But the pathetic boy remained silent and just took the beating.

However, there was a moment when that boy finally stopped crying.

It was the moment he spotted a girl who was even more pitiful than him.

A girl who lost her father and brother because of my father, and ultimately lost her mother too.

A girl who, like me, was being ignored by the adults.

This girl cried even more pitifully and weakly than the boy, facing each day without being able to do anything.

She stammered like a fool and was even a year younger than him.

The pain the boy felt had come from the girl, yet he felt a strange affinity and sympathy for her.

His enemy.

The one person who truly understood his pain.

“…Are you going to lose to her too?”

I said to the boy.

Maybe my voice finally reached him, he clenched his teeth.

He couldn’t lose. He couldn’t show a pathetic side to his enemy.

At the same time, he wanted to comfort her. It felt like everything would be alright if he could do that.

I knew what words she would like to hear.

I could feel what she needed.

The boy took a deep breath and stood up.

And he approached Vivian Rondore.

 

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