Chapter 63
As soon as she heard the sound of the temple exploding, Chesha thought, Ah, it’s finally here.
The two men were complete opposites.
There was no way they could sit down for tea and chat amiably with laughter.
She’d figured something would happen eventually.
But blowing up the temple?
In any case, both Kierne and Hailon were the same.
Their personalities were polar opposites, yet when they lost their temper, they both went all the way—why they resembled each other in that regard was a mystery.
Because of these guys who didn’t know the meaning of “moderation,” Chesha was the one who always suffered.
“…Shouldn’t we go check it out?”
Ishuel tugged at Belzeon’s sleeve as she asked.
Belzeon and the twins had reached a tacit agreement to call a truce for now.
Then, they took Chesha and headed toward where Kierne was.
They followed the surge of power and looked down from atop the temple building.
The structure was so shattered that sneaking up wasn’t even an issue.
They could see Kierne facing off against Hailon.
Fortunately, he was obediently hiding behind Duchess Evroiel.
He was unarmed, without even a sword.
Unless he used black magic, he was no match for Hailon, who wielded the holy sword.
Duchess Evroiel was indeed an exceptional mage.
She handled her magic skillfully as she confronted Hailon.
But in the end, she’ll lose.
This wasn’t about measuring total power.
It was combat.
If the strengths were similar—or even if one was stronger—the one more skilled in battle could easily defeat the superior opponent.
Duchess Evroiel’s days as a war hero were decades ago.
She couldn’t compare to Hailon, who never let the stench of blood fade from his body.
Especially if Hailon brought out the Chains of Condemnation, that holy relic.
A fairy…
The late countess was a fairy.
Her head still throbbed from the truth Carha had blurted out in a daze.
It was confusing, but the path ahead was clear.
Perhaps Kierne knew the truth Chesha had been desperately searching for.
There were many things she needed to hear from him.
I have to save him.
Chesha resolved firmly.
Then, she tapped Carha’s chest, where he was holding her.
When Carha set her down on the ground, Chesha looked up at the boys and said,
“Throw me.”
“…Huh?”
Chesha pointed to the middle of the fight.
“Over there!”
“What?”
“No way!”
“You’re crazy?”
Carha, Belzeon, and Ishuel each shouted.
It made her ears ring.
With patience, Chesha persuaded them.
“I hate that they’re fighting because of me…”
She earnestly put forward her idea to step in and stop it herself.
The three Basilian brothers exchanged glances.
Whether Chesha returned to the Basilian family or not.
They all agreed that this fight needed to stop first.
“Hurry!”
Chesha urged the hesitating boys.
No matter how they threw her.
The three people down there could easily catch her.
They would definitely stop fighting to catch Chesha.
Even so, none of the three stepped forward readily.
Frustrated, Chesha dashed to the edge of the building.
It was just as she was checking how the situation was unfolding.
“Uh…?”
Crack—the building, already riddled with fractures, collapsed beneath her feet.
“No!”
As Chesha fell with the debris, a massive gust of wind enveloped her body.
Ishuel had cast magic.
Her hand, drawing an awkwardly shaped magic circle, was trembling.
The wind laced with golden light succeeded in floating Chesha’s body buoyantly…
“…!”
But it failed to carry her back to the building and instead whisked her away elsewhere.
Chesha rode the wind, flew off, and plummeted from the sky.
“Kyaah!”
Somehow, she’d achieved her goal.
Chesha let out a huge scream.
It was a cry meant to draw everyone’s attention to her.
The effect was perfect.
Kierne, Hailon, Duchess Evroiel.
All of them widened their eyes and stared at Chesha.
Up to that point, it was great.
Ack! That crazy black mage!
Amid the Chains of Condemnation spreading in all directions, black shadows writhed and surged upward.
Kierne had used black magic to catch the falling Chesha.
There were two perfectly capable people here who could catch her just fine—why him!
Now, Chesha screamed “kyaah” for real.
Nothing ever went right because of Kierne.
I went out of my way to hide that he’s a black mage!
She tried to pour out a torrent of curses at Kierne, moving her short tongue busily.
But the moment her gaze met his red eyes.
Chesha couldn’t say a word.
He looked at her with desperate eyes.
His reaching hand was frantic.
He must have used his power unconsciously.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be this anxious and fearful about dropping Chesha to the ground.
Unconsciously, Chesha reached out toward him.
From falling through the sky to landing in Kierne’s arms.
The entire process felt slow-motion.
Chains and shadows spread like a net from all sides, and purple magic circles scattered light.
Amid the entanglement of immense powers.
Chesha fell into Kierne.
He caught the small body dropping like a meteor and released the breath he’d been holding.
“Haa, Chesha…”
He gasped as if someone had finally released a tight grip on his throat, allowing him to breathe.
Thump, thump, thump.
Feeling Kierne’s heart pounding, Chesha muttered belatedly.
“Idiot…”
“Hm?”
She’d meant to say “idiot,” but she’d slurred it without care, so it came out unintelligible.
Of course, Chesha had no intention of correcting it.
She just continued the unfinished curses in her mind.
“Haha.”
Serea laughed hollowly.
She dispersed the magic circle she’d created and summed up her feelings in one word.
“Damn.”
As if spitting out the curse she’d held back wasn’t enough, she let out a loud “Aaah!”
“If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve just told that bastard to fight from the start! I wasted my energy for nothing.”
Serea raised both hands high into the sky and shouted loudly.
“Get caught, get caught. Rot away in the heresy interrogation room for the rest of your life!”
Whether she cursed or not.
Under the gaze of countless people, Kierne gently asked Chesha.
“Did you come to see Daddy?”
He looked happy.
His face was even slightly flushed.
He seemed completely smitten with Chesha, blind to everything else.
“You scared me… Why did you do something so dangerous? Who dropped Chesha from the sky?”
Chesha felt deflated by his soft, inquiring tone.
Now his identity as a black mage was fully exposed.
The Basilian family was about to be dragged into ruin, yet he didn’t care at all—it was exasperating.
“So you really were a black mage.”
A low voice rang out.
Only then did Kierne turn his gaze to Hailon.
“And you’re the inquisitor.”
He smiled faintly.
“I’ve heard rumors. That an extraordinary inquisitor emerged in this generation. One who freely wields a holy relic no one else could handle.”
Kierne admired the chains densely covering every direction.
“Indeed… It’s an impressive holy relic.”
At his strangely calm demeanor, Hailon narrowed his brows slightly, sensing something off.
A light snap echoed.
The casual finger snap was eerily clear.
His red eyes flickered like burning flames.
Sounds of swords being drawn came from all around.
The swarming holy knights drew their holy swords.
And they placed the blades against their own throats.
The priests without swords clutched their necks with their own hands.
As if they intended to strangle themselves until they suffocated.
It was large-scale mind control.
He’d cast mind control on dozens at once—even on those possessing holy power.
At the glimpse of power Kierne revealed, Hailon’s eyes darkened.
The Chains of Condemnation trembled faintly.
The clinking of chains gradually grew louder.
“Don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of harming the knights or priests. I’m just setting up an environment for a simple conversation.”
Kierne smiled as he placated Hailon.
“Otherwise, you wouldn’t even pretend to listen to me.”
