Episode 58
In that moment, Chesha felt as if her heart had plummeted.
In truth, not a single part of his words was wrong.
The unexpected thing was simply this:
She hadn’t anticipated Kierne would show such a shaken demeanor.
Especially knowing how infamous the underworld’s master was for his cold and ruthless side.
She had assumed the soft, fatherly act he put on in front of her was all a performance driven by necessity.
But right now, Kierne…
He looked genuinely hurt.
Was it even possible to describe him as “hurt”?
Her confused mind only clogged her already speechless mouth further.
Chesha’s lips parted slightly.
Kierne continued his soliloquy, unanswered.
“What did Daddy do wrong… Why would Chesha…”
Without realizing it, Chesha cried out.
“You didn’t do anything wrong!”
Kierne’s eyes widened.
Looking into those wavering red eyes, Chesha repeated,
“Nothing at all…”
She had thrown the words out, hoping to calm him even a little.
But the instant he heard her,
his blank face twisted completely.
Kierne covered his face with both hands.
The cane slipped from his grasp, clattering loudly across the marble floor.
Chesha noticed the shadows shifting even more bizarrely.
Now it was hard to excuse as lanterns flickering in the wind.
The lantern light that had illuminated the temple so brightly dimmed subtly.
The temple, once as bright as day, was slowly, ever so slowly, being swallowed by darkness.
As if struggling to breathe, Kierne inhaled and exhaled in short bursts.
“If I didn’t do anything wrong…”
A mangled voice leaked from Kierne.
“Why did you abandon me?”
A faint clink of chains echoed.
Hailon summoned the Chains of Condemnation, and just as the holy knights were about to draw their swords,
“My lord!”
A boy’s shout burst the tightly coiled air.
The boy flipped back the hood of his worn robe, revealing his face as he panted at the entrance.
He dashed forward, eyes wide on Kierne.
And punched Kierne square in the face.
Thud!
The merciless blow snapped Kierne’s head to the side.
The eerily dimming temple brightened once more.
“…Hah, hah.”
Having struck Kierne first, Belzeon gasped for breath.
He had run so desperately that for a while, he couldn’t speak, just steadying his breathing.
He checked on Chesha first with trembling eyes.
Seeing her fluffy and safe in Hailon’s arms, he relaxed, but
his face soon darkened at Kierne’s state.
“…Belzeon.”
Kierne seemed to have regained some composure.
But his gaze was still unsteady.
Kierne pulled up the corners of his mouth.
A mechanical smile, born of habit.
Then suddenly, out of nowhere, he uttered words no one could understand.
“The rain won’t stop.”
Kierne licked his slightly swollen lips and whispered,
“It keeps… raining.”
Chesha couldn’t fathom what he meant.
But Belzeon seemed to grasp it immediately.
“My lord.”
Belzeon spoke low and fast.
“Snap out of it. Do you realize where we are right now?”
He glared at Kierne with an expression that said he wanted to hit him again.
Kierne blinked slowly, regulating his breath.
Then Duke Ivroiel burst into laughter.
“Haha, the atmosphere is awfully serious.”
She slapped Kierne on the back.
Pounding his back with her large hand, making thumping sounds, she said,
“It seems our goddaughter isn’t quite ready to go home yet?”
“……”
Each time the duke smacked his back, the lingering dark aura in the temple brightened a little more.
Irritation flickered across Kierne’s face, and the precarious feeling from moments ago eased considerably.
‘Ugh…’
Chesha exhaled a sigh of relief inwardly.
‘That was really dangerous.’
She had heard the clink of Hailon’s chains.
One more step, and Kierne would have been bound by the Chains of Condemnation and dragged straight to the heresy interrogation chamber.
She knew it wouldn’t end quietly, but she hadn’t expected him to charge in so recklessly.
‘But why am I worrying about Kierne?’
Honestly, if he were condemned, it would only make things easier for Chesha.
No more being chased; she could just revert to being the witch and be done with it.
Yet moments ago, she had genuinely worried for Kierne.
It was a feeling too strong to dismiss as mere attachment.
While Chesha struggled to understand her own emotions,
Duke Ivroiel deftly took control of the situation.
“On second thought, how about the adults have a little chat first? Me, Count Basilian, and…”
She stared at Hailon with a smile.
“My goddaughter’s escort knight—the three of us.”
Hailon skipped the usual pleasantries like “It would be an honor” or “I’d be delighted.”
Even when a duke of the Palen Empire proposed a discussion, he replied bluntly.
“If Your Grace wishes it, then so be it.”
“Hahaha, you’re as arrogant as ever.”
Duke Ivroiel grinned and asked,
“What’s your affiliation?”
“Hilderd Holy Empire, First Order of the Holy Knights.”
“Hmm… I see, I see. So the arrogance isn’t unfounded.”
She draped an arm over Kierne’s shoulder.
Gripping the shoulder of the man who still hadn’t fully regained his senses, she smiled at Hailon.
“So, how about it? Care for a cup of tea? It’s out of the blue in the dead of night, but better than standing around like this.”
She joked that at her age, standing for long was tough.
Chesha recalled that Duke Ivroiel was actually over sixty.
Hailon, seeming to remember it belatedly, softened his demeanor just a touch.
“I’ll escort you inside.”
As the commotion settled, Belzeon approached and extended his hand.
“My sister.”
Chesha’s eyes widened slightly at the term.
It was the first time he had clearly called her his sister.
“Give her back.”
Hailon slowly handed over Chesha from his arms.
The moment she was held by the boy,
thump-thump.
His wildly pounding heart transmitted clearly.
It hit her how tense Belzeon had been, maintaining that stoic exterior.
Belzeon hugged Chesha wordlessly.
Regaining his calm from feeling her warmth, he finally spoke.
“My sister is still young. It’s well past her bedtime, so we’ll retire first.”
“Alright.”
Duke Ivroiel grinned, stretching her mouth wide to one side.
She warned Belzeon with a sly face,
“Don’t run off—stay put in your room, Belzeon.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Your Grace.”
Leaving the chuckling duke behind with his cool reply,
Belzeon quickly departed the scene, holding Chesha.
In her receding view, Kierne appeared.
He seemed to have fully recovered his composure, but his face was slightly pale.
“Chesha left Daddy on her own?”
Kierne’s words strangely lingered in her ears.
Before their eyes could meet, Chesha quickly averted her gaze.
Click.
Closing the door and entering the room, Belzeon leaned against it.
He stood there motionless for a while.
Then, still holding Chesha, he slid down as if collapsing.
Belzeon hugged her tightly.
His body trembled uncontrollably.
“What the… Damn it, talking about rain, nonsense…”
Chesha’s lips parted.
It was the first time she’d heard Belzeon swear.
But he seemed unaware he had cursed.
He just buried his face in Chesha’s small body, panting.
‘This one’s not in his right mind either.’
The Basilian men all pretended to be fine and superior on the outside, but inside, they were rotten and crumbling.
As the two sat like that for some time,
rattle-rattle.
The window suddenly shook.
Then, before she could react, it flew open.
Riding the night breeze, two small boys nimbly slipped inside.
“Brother! Sister…!”
“We’re here.”
It was Ishuel and Karha.
