Chapter 64
It was a statement that grasped Hailon perfectly.
‘What is this?’
This was only the second time Kierne and Hailon had clashed directly.
Yet somehow, their understanding of each other ran remarkably deep.
If Kierne hadn’t gone to such extremes, that is.
Hailon would have dragged him straight to the Holy Empire’s interrogation chamber for heretics.
His blue eyes calmly scanned the surroundings.
After confirming the knights and priests bound by mental manipulation, Hailon fixed his gaze back on Kierne.
In an indifferent tone, he said,
“I’ll listen. To whatever you have to say.”
There was no fear, no surprise, no emotion at all.
Only a dry voice, from which one could sense:
If necessary, Hailon would condemn Kierne even if it meant sacrificing all the hostages here as offerings.
Of course, he’d try to avoid that if possible…
At Hailon’s words, Kierne offered a faint smile.
His crimson eyes stared intently at Hailon for a long moment.
Then, tilting his head slightly, he whispered with a hint of regret,
“Ah, as expected. It doesn’t work on you, Sir Hailon.”
“…”
To attempt mental manipulation on a heretic inquisitor.
Kierne was truly, utterly mad.
Duke Ivroiel voiced what Chesha was thinking.
“You madman.”
She had completely given up on maintaining any pretense of dignity.
She was casually perched on the rubble of the collapsed building, just watching the situation unfold.
The Duke, lounging irreverently, waved his hand dismissively.
“Inquisitor, hurry up and take that bastard away.”
If Kierne was captured as a heretic, the Duke, who had aided him, would naturally face interrogation as well.
Knowing that full well and still urging him to be taken— the Duke must have been thoroughly pissed off.
Amid the swirling black shadows entangled with chains, Kierne spoke leisurely,
“I’d like to propose a deal.”
Whatever he offered, it seemed unlikely to sway Hailon.
But Kierne tossed out bait perfectly suited to hook him.
“I’ll give you information on the witch Lichesia.”
“…”
A flicker of disturbance crossed Hailon’s eyes.
But Kierne’s words weren’t finished yet.
“Ah, of course, that alone might not be enough for my life. So I’ll add one more thing.”
Kierne smiled slyly.
“The Holy Empire has been conducting horrific experiments on fairies.”
He was handing Hailon a poisoned chalice.
“Are you interested, by any chance?”
Chesha’s guess had been right.
Hailon knew nothing about the Holy Empire’s fairy experiments.
He accepted the deal Kierne offered and promised a brief truce.
Depending on the value of the information, it would decide whether Kierne was dragged to the interrogation chamber.
Or if they’d strike a new deal.
But Hailon knew.
Count Basilian would bring exactly the right price for his life.
Precisely enough to tip the scales—neither overflowing nor lacking.
Released from the Chains of Condemnation, Kierne completely rewrote the memories of the holy knights and priests who had witnessed the black mage and the heretic inquisitor.
He made them remember only that Duke Ivroiel and Hailon had clashed, and that the temple had been destroyed because of it.
These were people imbued with divine power.
Manipulating their minds would require far more effort than with ordinary folk.
Yet Kierne skillfully altered the minds and memories of dozens.
He wasn’t someone who’d casually attempt to resurrect the dead for nothing.
Having finished the manipulation, Kierne let out a light breath.
The crimson eyes that had gleamed with an eerie light while he wielded his power now grew still.
Hailon, who had watched Kierne’s black magic, slowly fingered the bracelet on his wrist.
Seeing that, Kierne let out a short chuckle.
He approached Hailon with a friendly grin, as if they were old pals.
“Let’s have a deeper conversation soon. I’ll come to the temple.”
His demeanor was no different from that toward a closest friend.
Kierne, who had been acting all chummy, let out a short “Ah” of exclamation, then muttered regretfully,
“Oh dear… the temple is all destroyed, isn’t it?”
With the ruins behind him, Kierne flashed a bright smile.
“I suppose we’ll have to meet outside the temple, then.”
For the culprit who had played a major role in the temple’s destruction, it was an utterly shameless attitude.
And it didn’t end there.
“And my daughter doesn’t seem able to stay here any longer, so for now, I’ll take her with me…”
He tried to casually sweep Chesha away as if it were the most natural thing.
Chesha glared at Kierne with deeply suspicious eyes.
‘This… now that I think about it, did he destroy the temple on purpose?’
It was a plausible possibility.
Of course, it was Hailon and Duke Ivroiel who had actually demolished the temple.
But Kierne was the type who could have orchestrated the situation to lead to its destruction.
Hailon seemed to be thinking something similar.
The look in his eyes toward Kierne was like regarding the scum of the earth.
To elicit such a reaction from Hailon, who showed almost no emotion at all.
In many ways, Kierne was an impressive man.
“The child will remain under my protection.”
Hailon cut off Kierne’s words coldly.
“Are you holding her hostage?”
“I said protection, Count.”
The situation, which had seemed to be smoothing out a bit, began to turn ominous again.
It felt like they might revert to the beginning and start fighting all over.
Chesha, the root cause of this entire incident, quietly spoke up.
“I…”
Kierne and Hailon turned to look at Chesha simultaneously.
To these two men, polar opposites from head to toe, she said,
“I want to stay here.”
Kierne tried to brush it off with a sly nonchalance.
“Where, in Daddy’s arms?”
Chesha just looked at him silently.
Their gazes locked for a long time.
She placed her small hand on his cheek.
With that tiny hand, Kierne was frozen in place.
Chesha whispered to him slowly,
“I… don’t really know how to be Chesha Basilian yet.”
“…”
This time, Kierne said nothing.
The arms holding Chesha tightened.
Cracks slowly formed across his smooth crimson eyes.
‘Darn it, I have my own circumstances too!’
For now, since she’d learned that Countess Basilian was a fairy, she would investigate the count’s household again.
But Chesha needed time to think things through as well.
Given how complicated the situation was, it was a moment that called for even greater caution.
This might be the last chance to leave the Basilian family peacefully.
“Don’t pressure her.”
Hailon took Chesha into his arms.
Kierne released her without resistance.
“On the day of the deal, I’ll take the child.”
So, give me another chance to talk with the child then.
For Hailon, it was an unusually generous statement.
Kierne remained silent for a long while.
He stared down at his empty hands for some time, then slowly moved his lips.
“…I’ll wait.”
The situation seemed roughly resolved.
Watching Kierne, who had ended up with nothing, Serea muttered with a bored expression,
“Such a venomous snake…”
He’d schemed cunningly, manipulating people as he pleased, only to be utterly defeated by his daughter.
Having publicly declared Chesha Basilian as his adopted daughter, Serea was intensely curious about how this runaway drama would conclude.
It was while she was brushing the dust off her clothes.
She raised an eyebrow at the small boy approaching her.
“Your Grace.”
“…Ishuel?”
He was the third son of the Basilian family.
The hidden gem of the Basilian household, whom Serea had been eyeing to teach magic.
The pretty young lord, like a porcelain doll, had reddened eyes, as if burning with indignation.
“What’s wrong? Did someone bully you? Was it Kierne?”
As she cooed soothingly, Ishuel clenched his fists tightly.
His gripped hands trembled violently.
“I’m the one bullying myself.”
“…”
It was a statement ill-suited coming from a boy’s mouth.
To the surprised Serea, Ishuel said with eyes blazing red,
“Please teach me magic.”
