Chapter 107
‘This is a disaster.’
Chesha’s mouth fell open in shock.
In the Basilian family, the scariest person was Belzeon.
Of course, Kierne was scary too, but in a slightly different way.
When Kierne did something crazy, it just felt like, well, of course he would.
But when Belzeon did something crazy, it felt like an unexpected catastrophe crashing down.
It was even more so because he pulled off lunatic acts that shocked even Kierne.
“What on earth is going on here…”
The cardinal stroked his chest and first checked on Remil.
After confirming Remil’s condition, the cardinal instead turned the tables and shouted indignantly.
“He’s from the Hebaton royal family!”
It was a rebuke: how dare a count’s family holed up in the eastern backwoods touch royalty.
Of course, to Belzeon, such a threat meant nothing.
Belzeon quietly countered.
“Even if he’s royalty, should I just stand by while he tries to kill my sibling right in front of me?”
“…That’s not what I meant.”
The cardinal hurried to make an excuse, but unable to think of a plausible rebuttal, he stammered.
“You don’t seem to grasp the situation properly.”
Belzeon continued in a chilling tone, reaching for his waist before hesitating.
In the Holy Empire, carrying a sword was allowed, but bringing it into certain places was forbidden.
That’s why he had left his demonic sword behind when entering the hall where the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly participants were gathering.
His hand, which had brushed over the empty waist, smoothly picked up a small knife from the tea table.
It was a knife placed there for slicing and eating the bread served with tea—not very large.
The blade wasn’t particularly sharp; it was rather blunt.
But the moment it was in Belzeon’s hand, its presence changed entirely.
Belzeon spoke as if giving a perfectly logical explanation.
“Even if I kill the Hebaton prince here, it would be self-defense.”
The cardinal, catching the scent of madness overflowing from that calm voice, shouted convulsively.
“Seize that man!”
The holy priests belatedly scrambled into action.
But they weren’t trained knights, and their movements were utterly sloppy.
Belzeon easily evaded them and swiftly swung the knife.
“Brother Belzeon…!”
He stopped at the small hand grabbing him.
Red eyes turned toward Chesha.
Chesha desperately sent him an urgent look.
‘You lunatic, snap out of it!’
If he killed Remil here, it would be over for good.
Chesha had used the fairy’s power, but since she had pushed it into Remil’s body, it didn’t show on the outside.
Only Remil himself would have felt that strange force suppressing his divine power.
‘But I can just deny it and play dumb.’
Spotting the rampage first could be excused with some suitable pretext.
So, if they played the cardinal’s mistake right, it could even turn into an opportunity favorable for the Basilian count’s family…
She couldn’t understand why the one person who should know that better than anyone was getting so worked up and going overboard.
“…”
While Belzeon hesitated, the holy priests reached out en masse and grabbed him.
Bound by adult men, Belzeon didn’t show fear; instead, he swallowed a scoff.
‘Haaa…’
Chesha inwardly let out a sigh of relief.
She thought it was fortunate that Belzeon had come to his senses.
Using only the strength in his wrist, he threw the knife he was holding.
The knife whizzed through the air like a dagger and embedded itself in the sofa with a thud.
Right next to the unconscious boy’s neck.
The cardinal and holy priests gasped and froze on the spot.
Belzeon glared at the cardinal.
His neatly combed hair had become disheveled, strands falling over his forehead.
Between the deep navy locks, crimson pupils flashed.
“I will formally protest today’s events.”
Belzeon declared while staring down the cardinal.
“In the name of the Basilian count’s family.”
His strides down the corridor were swift and fierce.
Thump, thump, thump.
His heart had been pounding wildly ever since.
The force of the beats was suffocating.
Belzeon clenched his jaw tightly.
He tried not to hold the sibling in his arms too tightly, but it wasn’t easy.
The survival of the Basilian family.
That was the mission left to Belzeon, the most important pillar of his life.
“Please, Belzeon.”
From the moment his mother had faintly smiled and entrusted him with that, Belzeon had lived solely to protect Basilian.
But…
Belzeon squeezed his eyes shut and opened them.
Why couldn’t he endure it?
He had thought he needed to hold back because they required the cardinals’ support.
By the time he came to, he was already on the verge of swinging the knife.
If Chesha hadn’t stopped him, he probably would have really killed the Hebaton prince.
Even knowing it would ruin the Basilian count’s family.
“Brother…”
The small voice awakened his mind, which had been stretched taut to its limit.
Belzeon halted abruptly.
Then he placed Chesha on a low cabinet nearby.
Chesha, now perched on the cabinet, looked adorably like a doll.
Perhaps feeling awkward facing him at eye level, Chesha squirmed.
Belzeon quietly gazed at Chesha.
A small body not yet fully grown.
A child accepted into Basilian, but without the blood tie, not born with the sturdy physique and strength of a Basilian.
A endlessly fragile sibling who would shatter like glass artwork when facing malice.
“Chesha is a fairy. A fairy with power strong enough to become a queen.”
Kierne’s words flashed through his mind.
“But she’s still young and inexperienced. Her heart is soft, and she’s not cunning… She willingly uses her power to help others. Even in situations that could endanger herself.”
“So we need to watch over and care for Chesha.”
Kierne had said that much and smiled quietly.
At the time, Belzeon thought he fully understood what he meant.
But he hadn’t at all.
The moment he saw that small back figure out the rampaging divine power first and leap without hesitation into a deadly spot.
It felt like something snapped in his head.
Grabbing and swinging the knife had been an act done in a half-mad state.
He was terrifyingly angry.
He felt like he was going insane because of this child who didn’t know how to take care of herself.
Today, they had luckily prevented it, but that was only for ‘today.’
There was no guarantee luck would hold next time.
Belzeon called her full name in a stiff voice.
“Chesha Basilian.”
Chesha straightened up like a soldier snapped to attention.
Belzeon stared at her without blinking.
As the gaze lingered, Chesha began to sweat nervously.
Unable to endure the prolonged silence, the child mumbled awkwardly.
“I’m sorry…”
“For what.”
“…”
That was the problem—she didn’t know.
As Chesha just gauged his reaction, Belzeon turned his head aside briefly to suppress his anger.
He stifled his ragged breaths.
He closed his eyes tightly, swept back his hair, and spoke again.
“What do you think of me?”
Chesha’s lips parted at the question directed at him.
Her expression showed she didn’t understand why he was asking this.
Belzeon slowly opened his lips.
All sorts of words boiled up inside like a swarm of bees.
Don’t die in front of me.
Don’t make me helpless and despairing, unable to protect anything.
From the moment I decided to accept you as a Basilian, you became a child I must protect too.
Basilian—the family I want to protect—is only complete with you in it.
Why are you trying to abandon me so casually?
Are you going to leave me and die, just like Mother?
The chaotic inner thoughts surging out wildly were a mess that even startled Belzeon himself.
Calming himself not to act like a child, he filtered and refined his words before speaking.
“If you think of me as your brother, never step in front of me again.”
He wanted to lecture coldly and rationally.
But it didn’t go as planned.
Words he couldn’t filter slipped through his parted lips.
A powerless plea followed in a somber voice.
“Please, don’t do anything dangerous…”
